Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) announced today its investment in Ampere, an EV and software company to be established by the Renault Group.
For Mitsubishi Motors, the investment comes as an ambitious step forward in its mid-term management plan announced in March 2023, where Mitsubishi Motors committed to the development of electric vehicles and to strengthen cooperation with its Alliance members toward the acceleration phase of electrification. The maximum investment in Ampere will be 200 million euros.
Through this initiative, Mitsubishi Motors aims to further improve its EV development technology and to expand its line-up of EV. As a first step of this collaboration, Ampere will supply an EV on an OEM basis in the European market.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) —a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan—, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification—launched the i-MiEV –the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV –the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) will exhibit at the Japan Mobility Show 2023(1) with the booth theme of “Awaken the adventurous spirit within you. Adventures for all – anytime and anywhere” to inspire drivers’ spirit of adventure in a variety of settings, from everyday life to uncharted lands.
Mitsubishi Motors’ special website for the Japan Mobility Show 2023:https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/innovation/motorshow/jms2023/
Mitsubishi Motors Booth
The Mitsubishi Motors booth is divided into three areas – the Unexplored Adventures Area that invites visitors to take on new challenges, the Active Leisure Area that makes them want to go one step further than usual, and the Daily Adventures Area that makes everyday life exciting and fun.
– Unexplored Adventures Area
With a sculpted design inspired by mountain ranges, the Unexplored Adventures Area will feature Mitsubishi Motors’ electrified crossover MPV concept car which will make its global debut at the Japan Mobility Show. Also, a ride simulator will be set up where visitors can experience the concept car’s safe, comfortable and pleasant driving with peace of mind that is possible in any weather or road conditions.
– Active Leisure Area
The all-new Triton(2), which participated in the Asia Cross Country Rally 2023, and the Delica D:5, which accompanied it as a support car, will be on display to showcase the powerful driving performance that allows drivers to take one step further in confidence, even on rough roads.
The Outlander PHEV disaster response vehicle made in collaboration with Gehirn Inc., which provides the NERV(3) Disaster Prevention app that delivers information on disaster prevention and weather information, will be on display to show its reliability that allows users to drive with confidence in a variety of weather and road conditions during emergencies.
– Daily Adventures Area
The new Delica Mini and the eK X EV(4), which support adventures in everyday life, will be on display to broaden drivers’ horizons, offering all sorts of leisure activities and fun times with family and friends.
The Dynamic Sound Concept, which is a new sound system developed in cooperation with Yamaha Corporation (hereafter, Yamaha), will be installed in the Outlander PHEV. Demonstrations will be held for visitors to experience the first-class quality sound developed by Mitsubishi Motors and Yamaha. As if standing right in front of a live performance, the powerful and immersive sound excites everyone on board and makes daily driving experience even more comfortable and pleasant.
1. The Japan Mobility Show 2023 is organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. October 25 and 26 are press days, October 27 is a special invitation day, and October 28 to November 5 are general public days. Tokyo Big Sight is the main venue. 2. Sold as L200 in some markets 3. The name and logo of “NERV” are used with the explicit permission of khara Inc., the copyright holder of the “Evangelion” series, and Groundworks Corporation, which manages the rights to the series. 4. Pronounced “eK ‘cross’ EV”
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) —a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan—, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification—launched the i-MiEV –the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV –the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013.For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) heads to the Japan Mobility Show 20231 to premiere an electrified crossover MPV concept car that will awaken the adventurous spirit of drivers and expand their horizons. In addition, the company will debut the all-new Triton2 pickup truck in Japan, as well as displaying the Last 1 mile Mobility, a small mobility vehicle developed in collaboration with a start-up company.
Concept car
The electrified crossover MPV concept car combines the road handling of an SUV with the comfort and user-friendliness of an MPV, with a view toward achieving a carbon-neutral society. Based on the concept of Borderless Adventure, it features a vastly spacious cabin with a sense of openness, and offers the cruising range and driving performance to handle all kinds of adventures. Driver can enjoy the exhilarating driving experience of an electrified vehicle, and with the ability to switch driving modes as the situation demands, there are no limits to the destinations it can reach.
With a high ground clearance and an electric four-wheel drive system that allows the large-diameter tires to grip the ground and perform exactly as the driver intends, this electrified crossover MPV will be a reliable partner that provides a pleasant driving experience with peace of mind regardless of weather or road conditions, giving drivers the confidence to go one step further than before.
Last 1 mile Mobility
The Last 1 mile Mobility is a small mobility vehicle developed in collaboration with LIFEHUB Inc.3, a start-up company that is working on the development and commercialization of next-generation mobility chairs. This buggy-type compact mobility system powered by used batteries from electrified vehicles enables further adventures after the car reaches its destination.
All-new Triton (prototype)
Developed under the product concept of Power for Adventure, the all-new Triton is a one-ton pickup truck with a completely revamped interior and exterior design, frame, chassis, body and engine. The new model is scheduled for launch in Japan early next year, which will mark its first entry into the Japanese market in about 12 years.
Key features:
The newly-developed ladder frame has been honed to achieve the utmost in durability and reliability, and the new 2.4L clean diesel turbo engine balances higher power output and enhanced environmental performance.
The newly developed suspension provides excellent ride comfort and steering stability, while the Super Select 4WD-II and upgraded drive modes deliver superior road performance.
The exterior features a commanding front-end design and a wide profile with robust styling, while the interior is classy yet highly functional and easy to operate.
Improvements in collision safety performance, driver assist features, and comfortability make it suitable for a wide range of applications from business to personal use.
1. The Japan Mobility Show 2023 is organized by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. October 25 and 26 are press days, October 27 is a special invitation day, and October 28 to November 5 are general public days. Tokyo Big Sight is the main venue. 2. Sold as L200 in some markets 3. LIFEHUB Inc. is a start-up company engaged in the research and development of mobility products. It aims at delivering freedom of mobility to all people by developing products that utilize robotics, AI and other cutting-edge technologies. Website: https://www.lifehub.co.jp/home-en.html 4. Pronounced “eK ‘cross’ EV”
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) —a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan—, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification—launched the i-MiEV –the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV –the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013.For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) announced that the all-new Triton1 one-ton pickup truck, the all-new Xforce2 compact SUV, and the new Delica Mini super height-wagon kei-car3 have won the Good Design Award4 2023 organized by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.
Mitsubishi Motors has been working to create distinctively unique designs based on its design philosophy of Robust & Ingenious. The company is commited to providing customers with reliability and excitement by building upon its core values of dynamic strength, robustness and functionality, and by continuing to evolve and progress with the times. The three new models, the Triton, Xforce and Delica Mini, were selected as Good Design Award winners for embodying Mitsubishi Motors-ness that reflects this design philosophy while expressing their individual design concepts.
All-new Triton The all-new Triton is a one-ton pickup truck that condenses the essence of Mitsubishi Motors, offering safe and comfortable ride with peace of mind in a variety of weather and road conditions around the world. Based on the Beast Mode design concept, the all-new Triton has an imposing aura that expresses the toughness and strength required of a pickup truck, as well as the ruggedness and agility typical of a Mitsubishi model. The interior is designed for enhanced practicality with professional use in mind.
Comments from the jury:”This pickup is targeted mainly at the ASEAN and Latin America markets. As a partner for work and leisure in these areas, it requires a power not found in passenger vehicles and a sense of fun that sets it apart from other commercial vehicles. The styling, consisting of a front face with a strong presence, distinctive lighting utilizing LEDs, a horizontally-themed silhouette, and square fenders, fully meets these requirements and clearly conveys the brand identity. In addition, the vehicle offers a spacious cabin, a functional instrument panel, a low cargo bed, and other user-friendly features, while also standing out for its excellent workmanship, including a cover for the inside of the cargo bed.”
Special website:https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/products/triton
All-new Xforce
The all-new Xforce is a compact SUV that offers comfort and practicality including a spacious cabin and versatile storage spaces well-balanced in a maneuverable, compact body size, as well as road handling that allows safe, secure ride in various weather or road conditions. Based on the design concept of Silky & Solid, its design features a stylish yet robust, authentic SUV styling and a sophisticated interior with a cutting-edge feel.
Comments from the jury: “The exterior design, with the powerful front and rear fenders at its core, gives a sense of massiveness despite the vehicle’s compact size, and together with the shape of the headlights and rear combination lights, it exudes the appeal of an advanced SUV. Meanwhile, through well-organized, structured modeling and the skillful blending of colors, materials and finishes (CMF), the interior succeeds in creating a sense of excitement to match the external profile. The use of a hexagon motif in the details of both the interior and exterior also contributes to a sense of unity in the overall vehicle design.”
Special website:https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/products/xforce/
New Delica Mini
The new Delica Mini is a super height-wagon kei-car that bears the name of the Delica minivan, combining a spacious interior and powerful driving performance. With the design theme of Daily Adventure, the Delica Mini features an SUV-like styling that gives the impression of powerful driving like the Delica and a functional cabin that is convenient for both outdoor and everyday use.
Comments from the jury:
“The exterior design gives the impression of a sturdy tool, firm and powerful, but at the same time succeeds in conveying a sense of affability, especially with the ring-shaped headlights with cut-out tops. The body color also shows ingenuity, successfully combining a modern look with a boldness that evokes a sense of adventure. The interior design is also well matched to the exterior, giving a clean, sturdy impression, while the window surrounds, which incorporate the exterior color, also convey playfulness.”
Special website (in Japanese only):https://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/lineup/delica_mini/special/
1. The Triton is sold as the L200 in some markets. In Japan, it is scheduled for launch in early 2024. 2. The Xforce is not sold in Japan. 3. Kei-car is a vehicle category in Japan for microcars. 4. The Good Design Award has been the sole comprehensive design evaluation and commendation system in Japan since its founding as the Good Design Product Selection System in 1957. Over the past 60 years, the movement has aimed at improving Japanese industry and lifestyle through design, and the total number of awards presented has reached more than 50,000. Today, it has grown into a global design award in which numerous companies and organizations participate from around the world, and the G Mark, which is the symbol of the award, is widely known as a mark of design excellence.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) —a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan—, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities around the world. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification—launched the i-MiEV –the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV –the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013.For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company’s website at https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
According to the half-year report released August 23rd by Wuling Motors Holdings Limited (Wuling Motors), the company’s revenue in the first half of 2023 was RMB 5.089 billion and its net profit was RMB 12.26 million. It is particularly noteworthy that the company’s new energy vehicle (NEV) business saw its proportion rise steadily and also performed well in overseas market expansion, with huge business potential. For example, after launch, a number of upgraded versions of off-road vehicles such as sightseeing buses and golf carts received satisfactory responses from overseas markets.
As the NEV industry develops rapidly, product upgrading and innovation are becoming new driving forces for the future growth of Wuling Motors.
Products Upgraded to Adapt to Market Changes and Release Transformation Potential
Since the beginning of this year, Wuling Motors has accelerated its transformation from traditional manufacturing to intelligent products, intelligent manufacturing and digital services throughout the whole life cycle of vehicles with the goal of strengthening, supplementing, extending and stabilizing the chain. Wuling Motors’ core products now cover the entire automobile industry chain, with continuous efforts being made to expedite its transformation towards the NEV field.
As one of the company’s main business segments, its component business enters the breakthrough stage in 2023. In terms of new business expansion, Wuling Motors has become a component supplier of, GWM, Foton, Hozon, and BAIC, among others. For further expansion and diversification, Wuling Motors continues to carry out various business expansion plans and promote its components to other customers. Things fare well at present. Lately, a new rear axle product of Liuzhou Wuling Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. under Wuling Motors has been applied to GWM’s high-end plug-in hybrid off-road SUV models and its production capacity has begun to climb. In addition, the sales of micro integral electric axles have exceeded 1 million units. By closely connecting products with customer needs and designing products based on the logic of technology platforms, Wuling Motors can not only customize its components for a particular vehicle model but also quickly adapt them to more vehicle models. It aims to shorten its development cycle and improve its product reliability to meet the market’s demand for a quick new product launch pace. Regarding the power system business segment, Liuzhou Wuling Liuji Power Co., Ltd. under Wuling Motors has impressively improved its profitability resulting from the launch of new products. Moreover, it has also actively explored new markets for its casting products, from which supply of casting products to BYD in quantity has been started.
Despite a host of challenges in its transformation as a traditional enterprise, Wuling Motors tries to meet market needs through overall improvements and adjustments in technology and the industrial chain and to seize opportunities brought by industry changes through early planning. The company is making achievements in its transformation which covers the range of hybrid power systems and new energy power systems. In terms of auto components and power systems, Wuling Motors has transformed its logistics vehicles and special vehicles into electric vehicles or NEVs. In particular, it made a major breakthrough in the NEV market recently. Since it launched its electric logistics vehicles in 2020, it has sold more than 20,000 electric logistics vehicles, reaching a record high.
Wuling Motors have also exported its off-road vehicles such as sightseeing buses, patrol cars and golf carts to new overseas markets such as Southeast Asia, America, Europe, and Africa, winning the recognition of international customers with excellent service, high quality, and customization ability. On August 8, two off-road vehicle models of Wuling Motors officially made inroads into Canada. Previously, it had put its golf carts into the Hong Kong market. Logistics vehicles in cooperation with some Japanese partners have realized mass production and been exported to Japan in quantity. Wuling Motors is committed to providing global customers with high-quality solutions for diverse scenarios such as tourism, leisure, sports, and logistics.
Exploring Opportunities in the NEV Industry
On August 17, the People’s Bank of China released its 2023 Second Quarter China Monetary Policy Execution Report. The report points out that developing NEVs is the only way for China to move from a large automobile country to an automobile power, and that it is also a strategic measure to cope with climate change and promote green development.
In recent years, China’s NEV industry has been flourishing, driven by the nation’s policy support, technological progress, and market demand. China ranks first globally in the export volume of NEVs, with more than 60% of the world’s NEVs produced and sold in China. The penetration rate of NEVs in the Chinese market is projected to exceed 60% by 2025, and the market share of Chinese automobile brands is likely to increase to 70%.
This makes Wuling Motors firmly resolute in dedicating itself to the NEV field. Apart from vehicles, the company is also seeking new business opportunities in the component industry chain. In terms of automobile power supply systems, Wuling Motors pursues green and low-carbon transformation and high-quality development. While upgrading its traditional power systems, it is also developing new energy power systems to accelerate its transformation and upgrade towards NEV power systems. As for auto components and other industrial services, Wuling Motors continues to further digitize its component R&D and manufacturing to develop popular high-end component products with advanced technologies and core competencies, as a continuous effort to expand to mid-to-high-end passenger vehicle and NEV component fields. In terms of commercial vehicles, Wuling Motors will seek breakthroughs in high-value-added modification, expand to the market of high-value special modified vehicles and other products, continue to develop the international market, and strive to bring more products to global markets by learning the export models and relevant experience of the United States, Japan, and Europe. It will seize market opportunities to multiply its NEV business.
It is said that Wuling Motors expects to raise the proportion of its NEV business to more than 50% to further accelerate its development. As Yuan Zhijun, President of Guangxi Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Chairman of the Board of Wuling Motors, put it, Wuling Motors hopes to gain recognition and strengthen its development in the NEV market through product R&D and technical reserves, so as to push the transformation and upgrading of the whole group company’s component business. Besides further promoting its products to its existing customers, Wuling Motors will also try to play a better role in the NEV field by strengthening its NEV product planning.
