Next, we needed the gear to carry our gear. That meant partnering with Thule, a brand known around the world for making extremely high-quality acces- sories for mounting just about anything you could im- agine on a vehicle. As mentioned, we added the factory Mitsubishi cross- bars to the Outlander PHEV, which gave us the plat- form to add a variety of Thule mounts. For camping, we added the Thule 6’ OutLand Awning, which creates perfect coverage for some camping chairs and a table (or even a small tent if you want to stay out of the rain). That leaves plenty of space for a variety of roof rack mounts. To test out the versatility, we added a Thule Pulse cargo box, as well as mounts for a kayak, bicycle, skis/snowboard and even a standup paddle- board (just not all at the same time). We also added a Thule T2 Pro XTR hitch rack. In order to stay fueled for all those adventures, the next important decision was how to add a removeable kitchen into the Outlander PHEV’s generous cargo space. Some online research led us to Nomad Kitchen Co., a family-run business out of Alameda, California. They make kitchen and drawer systems that fit in the back of SUVs, pickups and even hatchback pas- senger cars. The width of the Outlander is perfect to mount the Original Nomad Kitchen on one side and the Original Pantry Drawer on the other. These con- nect together and to the vehicle’s upper and lower luggage loops using heavy duty ratchet straps, ensur- ing a snug and secure fit. When closed, the system is
just 64 cm deep, meaning you can still use the second row of seats without any issues. But where the magic happens is when you are parked at a campground. Releasing the locking mechanism allows the two-level drawers to slide out revealing a basic sink, storage basket and a separate drawer for a two-burner camping stove. That’s all tucked into the Original Nomad Kitchen. On the Pantry Drawer side is a drawer for utensils, dishes or whatever else you might want packed away. The top of the drawer is a larger countertop that lifts off to access the storage. When parked, we set on top of the Nomad two items that take this system to a new level: a Reliance 15-litre water tank with a spigot that sits above the compact sink, and a Dometic CFX3 35 plug-in fridge/ freezer. The latter offers 36 litres of ice-cold storage and can run off of the Outlander’s 12v system or the 110v/1,500-watt outlet mounted behind the front seats and in the rear cargo area. To keep within the weight limits of the luggage hooks, we stored the water tank and fridge in the back seat during transit and then set them in place while camping. With its large on-board battery and inverter, the Outlander PHEV has loads of power to use electric accessories such as coolers, kettles, coffee makers, lights and more. Of course, that’s only part of the benefit – you also get all the driving benefits of the PHEV, including plenty of range in all-EV mode, su- perior traction and seven different driving modes de- pending on the conditions and your preferences.
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