Mitsubishi to Develop Electric Commercial Vehicles
Tokyo, June 19, 2008 (Jiji Press) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. <7211> plans to develop electric commercial vehicles in a move to meet growing demand for such environmentally friendly vehicles, Managing Director Tetsuro Aikawa said Thursday.
Aikawa said at a shareholders meeting that the Japanese automaker hopes to develop electricity-powered delivery vans.
Technologies for the i MiEV electric vehicle, to be launched by Mitsubishi Motors in Japan in 2009, are expected to be used for commercial vehicle development.
His comments came after Japan Post Service Co., a unit of Japan Post Holdings Co., early this month unveiled plans to gradually replace its entire fleet of gasoline vehicles with electric ones.
Aikawa also told shareholders that Mitsubishi Motors will resume selling the Pajero diesel-powered sport-utility vehicle for the first time in four years this autumn.
Production of the diesel-powered SUV was halted in the autumn of 2004 due to a slump in sales. But the firm has decided to reverse its course as it expects interest in the diesel model to grow due to its relatively high fuel efficiency.
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