Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. (MMPC) is lining up a P7-billion investment to jumpstart hybrid vehicle manufacturing in the Philippines, moving the project into its development phase, a senior executive said.
Toshiaki Kato, executive vice president for sales and marketing, said the biggest hurdle will be building a reliable local supply chain—particularly for batteries—citing long lead times for key components.
Still, he stressed the company’s commitment to proceed, echoing an earlier pledge by Mitsubishi Motors Corp. president and CEO Takao Kato to take part in the government’s Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS).
Kato declined to name the hybrid model slated for local production but signaled it is unlikely to be a sedan, noting limited volume potential for the segment. Final product decisions, he added, will hinge on the details of the executive order implementing EVIS.
Some battery components are expected to be sourced locally, though specifics have yet to be disclosed.
MMPC vice president for government affairs Victor Vinarao said the planned outlay includes retrofitting the company’s plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna to support hybrid production.
“The Philippines is a very promising market for Mitsubishi Motors,” Kato said.
MMPC currently assembles the Mirage G4 sedan and the L300 commercial vehicle in the country.
