MITSUBISHI MOTORS Philippines Corp. (MMPC) said it plans to invest P7 billion in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) manufacturing facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, under the government’s incentive program for electric vehicle production.
“It is the total cost for [the] hybrid EV manufacturing facility,” MMPC Executive Vice-President Toshiaki Kato told reporters on the sidelines of a press briefing for the upcoming 10th Philippine International Motor Show on Wednesday.
He said the facility is unlikely to focus on sedan-type HEVs but did not provide additional details.
MMPC Government Affairs Vice-President Victor Vinarao said the company is awaiting the issuance of the executive order (EO) on the Electric Vehicle Incentives Strategy (EVIS) before finalizing its production plans.
“We’re waiting for the EO to come out first [to know] what the government will be asking from us,” he told reporters.
Mr. Kato said the company has yet to determine which portions of its HEV manufacturing process will be localized, pending the release of the EVIS guidelines.
“We’re trying to consider all local parts that can be sourced from the Philippines. So, it depends on what parts will be outsourced for Mitsubishi,” Mr. Vinarao added.
MMPC also expects some battery-related processes to be sourced locally, Mr. Kato said.
“For the battery also, some processes should be localized, but we will still negotiate on that, maybe it depends on the EO,” he said.
The Department of Trade and Industry has yet to finalize the guidelines for EVIS, a government program aimed at encouraging the local production of four-wheeled electric vehicles.
Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo earlier said the government is considering fiscal support of up to P15 billion per EV manufacturer.
MMPC is the first of four EV manufacturers covered by the EVIS program. The government has yet to identify the remaining participants.
The government has been promoting domestic EV manufacturing as concerns over fuel prices and supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East continue to affect the automotive sector.
MMPC ranked second in total vehicle sales as of end-March despite an 11.9% decline in sales to 20,600 units during the period.
The Japanese automaker aims to begin HEV production at its Laguna facility by mid-2028. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
