Mitsubishi is bringing a new electric crossover, the ASX VR-e, to market, but it's not entirely the Japanese brand's own development. It's based on the Foxtron Bria, created with input from Foxconn and Pininfarina. In Australia, the new model will arrive at dealerships by the end of 2026, according to infohub.kz.
Visually, the ASX VR-e closely mirrors the Foxtron Bria. The main differences are the Mitsubishi badges, though the company promises to adapt the car for Australia and New Zealand, including suspension and handling tuning. The Bria itself was developed by Taiwan's Foxtron, a joint venture between Foxconn and Yulon Motor. The design was penned by Italy's Pininfarina. Thus, Mitsubishi didn't start from scratch but used a ready-made partner model and adapted it to its requirements.
The Foxtron Bria is available with rear-wheel drive and a 229-horsepower electric motor, or with dual motors and all-wheel drive producing 299 kilowatts (about 400 horsepower). Both versions use an LFP battery with a capacity of 57.7 kilowatt-hours. Mitsubishi hasn't yet revealed full specs for the ASX VR-e, but it's expected to retain the powertrains. The car will come in four trims: LS, Aspire, Exceed, and GSR. Pricing and features will be announced closer to launch.
Not long ago, the Japanese automaker's collaboration with Foxconn looked like a promising project, and now the partnership's result is turning into a production model. The ASX VR-e story shows how companies use partners' ready-made developments to bring EVs to market faster. Earlier, it was reported that the Mitsubishi Delica D:5 received a significant update ahead of its generational change.