The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has actually been around for a fairly long time. The company first debuted the vehicle back in 2013, but even today there’s progress. Earlier in the month, Thailand became the 3rd country in ASEAN to receive the Outlander PHEV. Well, the Outlander that’s being sold there is also being made there, which is actually a bigger deal than you might think.
That’s because the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was previously only made in Japan, regardless of whether it was a LHD or RHD model. Mitsubishi’s ability to rely on Thailand’s robust infrastructure, planning and web of OEMs has allowed them to shift some production of the Outlander PHEV to the Land of Smiles.
On 21 December, the Outlander PHEV started to roll off the production line at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s Laemchabang factory.
So, why did Mitsubishi Motors choose Thailand over its other ASEAN markets to produce the Outlander PHEV? Well they gave 3 reasons:
- Thailand’s government had a clear plan for electric mobility promotion
- The factory at Laemchabang has a high production capacity
Whatever specific measures being taken by Thailand seems to be working well. Should we be taking notes?
PRESS RELEASE
MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION (MMC) started local production of the OUTLANDER PHEV, a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV), at the Laemchabang Factory of MITSUBISHI MOTORS THAILAND, a local production and sales company in Thailand. A ceremony to commemorate the line-off of the first local production OUTLANDER PHEV was held on December 21st. The vehicle is scheduled to be delivered in the country in January.
MMC decided to start its first overseas production of the OUTLANDER PHEV model in Thailand because of the potential for growth in the Thai automobile market due to its promotion of electric mobility and the high production capacity of the Laemchabang Factory.
“MITSUBISHI MOTORS provides PHEVs to the ASEAN region based on increasing global awareness of environmental issues,” said Takao Kato, chief executive officer of MMC. “I am extremely happy to be able to deliver locally-produced OUTLANDER PHEVs to our customers in Thailand as a new part of our electric vehicle business.”
The OUTLANDER PHEV is the flagship MITSUBISHI MOTORS model that merges electro-mobility with four-wheel control technology to provide powerful and smooth driving with the quietness and superior eco-friendliness of an EV, while automatically switching energy efficiency between EV driving for everyday use and hybrid driving for longer journeys. The two on-board power outlets can output a maximum of 1,500 watts to provide power for outdoor leisure or as a source of electricity for household appliances in the event of an emergency caused by a natural disaster.
MMC positions the ASEAN region as a growth driver in its mid-term business plan (from fiscal 2020 to 2022) and has pledged to boost eco-friendly technologies based on the PHEVs that the company specializes in. Since launching the world’s first SUV type PHEV in Japan in January 2013, MMC has sold more than 260,000 vehicles in over 60 countries*1. The OUTLANDER PHEV boasts the highest global sales*2 in the PHEV category, and MMC will start producing and selling the vehicle in Thailand to further strengthen its business in the ASEAN region.
