Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. is preparing for a bigger Philippine footprint, betting on locally produced hybrid vehicles, higher factory output, and stronger sales as it seeks to turn the country into a more important production and export base.
MMPC Chairman Noriaki Hirakata said the company will invest at least P7 billion under the government’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy to support local production of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, with pilot production targeted for the third quarter of 2027.
The investment will also include battery assembly and greater integration of locally sourced parts at MMPC’s Santa Rosa, Laguna plant. The company eventually plans to export the Philippine-made plug-in hybrid to markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
MMPC currently produces the Mirage and L300 locally and is preparing to launch its first electrified vehicle in the Philippines, the Outlander plug-in hybrid, on Aug. 20.
The new production program could raise annual capacity at Santa Rosa to 70,000 vehicles from around 50,000, a roughly 40-percent increase. The plant is already running at about 90 percent of its existing capacity, underscoring the need for additional room if Mitsubishi is to capture rising demand.
“We try to hit the first target anyway,” Hirakata said, referring to the company’s production goals, while indicating that MMPC would seek to push output higher once the program gets underway.
The expansion is tied to broader sales ambitions. MMPC is targeting 5 percent to 6 percent sales growth this year and wants to lift its Philippine market share to 25 percent in the medium term from about 20 percent currently.
Hirakata said the company will also seek to grow sales of higher-priced models through wider financing options while maintaining its focus on the middle of the market.
For Mitsubishi, the Philippine opportunity extends beyond domestic sales. The country is already the company’s largest market outside Japan, making local performance closely watched by headquarters.
That importance is now being matched with a deeper manufacturing bet.
MMPC had previously considered exporting the L300, but Hirakata said the vehicle was not competitive enough at the time. “Now, we are very competitive. We can do that,” he said.
If the hybrid program delivers, the Philippines could move from being primarily a major sales market to becoming a more meaningful production and export hub for Mitsubishi in the region.
