Virtual Mitsubishi Lancer EV Design Proposal Is More Than a Rebadged Megane E-Tech

Looking at the North American roster, there are just three nameplates to choose from in the United States. You start at the bottom of the food chain with the $16k and $17k Mirage hatchback and Mirage G4 sedan, followed by the old Outlander Sport at $23k. The quirky $26k Eclipse Cross is tucked between the former and the new Outlander, which can still be had in PHEV form, thankfully.

The only good thing about Mitsubishi's lineup is that no starting MSRP goes above the $40k threshold if you forget about the existence of the pesky destination and handling fees. No Lancer, no Pajero, no Evolution, no light at the end of the tunnel, no nothing – or at least that is how it feels for many fans these days. Meanwhile, in Europe, the situation is even worse. Over there, the Japanese automaker sank in the mud of discontent to the point of making rebadged Renaults – like the 'all-new' ASX and the upcoming Colt, which are nothing but Captur and Clio models.

Naturally, that situation has attracted much attention – both in the real world and across the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. As far as the latter is concerned, it seems there are two sides to the Mitsubishi equation. Some just do not seem to accept the sad fate of the carmaker's legends and – from time to time – just pop out in the CGI open with a fresh Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI vision that would probably get welcomed with open arms by diehard aficionados.

Others, like the virtual artist better known as Theottle on social media, are a tad more pragmatic and accept the bland fate of badge engineering – albeit with a twist. As such, during his latest behind-the-scenes making-off video (embedded below), the pixel master has resorted to CGI slicing and dicing the rather old e-Evolution Concept for a feisty all-electric Lancer revival. The question was long yet simple: "What if Mitsubishi brings back the (iconic) Lancer nameplate for an electric C-segment hatchback sharing its platform with the Renault Megane E-Tech?"

But to hopefully escape the angry lightning bolts of Lancer EVO fans, the CGI expert also resorted to completely changing the exterior of the French EV with help from the imagined production version of the e-Evolution prototype. And while it is quirky, indeed, to bring back a concept that's more than half a decade old, at least it is not just a Renault Megane E-Tech with a Mitsubishi badge slapped on it, right?