Kentaro Honda is the Segment Chief Vehicle Engineer, Mitsubishi Motor Corporation. He is responsible for the 2023 Outlander and Outlander PHEV. Prior to taking this role, he was the Manager responsible for the first- generation Outlander PHEV beginning in 2009. Honda-san joined MMC in 1994 in the Vehicle Design Department (Galant and Eclipse). He spent five years in the United States working in various roles. He spoke with us at the Canadian launch of the Outlander PHEV in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mi Magazine: It’s been said that the Outlander PHEV is a vehicle you would choose for yourself. That is, your regular work life is in the city, as the leader of the Outlander PHEV team. This means your commutes are short and can be done in pure EV mode. But, when you take time to enjoy your hobbies, you find yourself in more remote areas – mountain climbing, camping, cycling, enjoying the outdoors – you need a vehicle with several hundred kilometres of range. Honda-san: Yes, that’s true. I have a relatively short drive to work. But since I was a university student, I’ve been involved in mountain climbing and other activ‑ ities that are often far away from the city. Even then in university, I was fascinated by vehicles that carried club members and our climbing stuff – such as the Delica. Mi: Tell us, what mountains have you climbed in Japan?
Honda-san: Mount Fuji is very famous and I have climbed it. It was a challenge, but not fun. All uphill and very few changes of scenery. I prefer the Japan Alps; we call them Nihon Arupusu. This series of mountain ranges runs down the spine of the main Japanese island, Honshu. I have climbed there many times. This is the place to go. Unfortunately, I have not been there recently; becom‑ ing a chief engineer is very demanding. Mi: You joined Mitsubishi in 1994? Honda-san: Yes. In my first job, I designed the door and components for the Eclipse. This is how a young engineer learns and grows. You work on little bits of the car, one at a time. Mi: How long have you been working on Outlander projects?
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