Mitsubishi Mirage eco car makes its debut
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Thailand yesterday hosted the world premier of the Mitsubishi Mirage eco car in its role as the sole manufacturing base for the "Global Small" model.
Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co expects to sell 2,000 Mirages a month under the Thai government’s policy to promote eco car production.
Osamu Masuko, president of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, and Nobuyuki Murahashi, president of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand), said 100,000 units would be produced in the first year with 80-per-cent local content, increasing to 90 per cent next year.
If demand is strong, production can be raised to 150,000 units.
Mitsubishi is preparing to develop an electric version of the Mirage, which would take two years before production is started. Whether Thailand is chosen as the production base of the electric model depends on its readiness to make batteries, which are a key component.
The Mirage is Mitsubishi Motors’ first eco car under the “Global Small” project aimed at serving the rising demand for cars in emerging economies.
The Mirage is assembled at Mitsubishi’s new Bt16 billion plant in the Laemchabang Industrial Estate. It is also the biggest production base outside Japan.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp plans to export them to Asean, Japan and Europe beginning in the middle of this year.
At 22 kilometres per litre, the Mirage is more energy-saving than similar brands. The eco car is offered in five models priced from Bt380,000-Bt546,000.
