Mitsubishi Motors to assemble Xpander in VN
Japanese Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will start assembling its Xpander crossover multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at its factory in Viet Nam since May 2020.
Mitsubishi Motors will begin assembling its new multi-purpose vehicle in Viet Nam next year.
The Xpander MPV will be built at the facility in Binh Duong Province, the Corporation’s chairman Osamu Masuko said at the 25th anniversary ceremony of Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam held in HCM City last week.
By the end of May 8, 2019, some 9,904 Xpander units were imported to be sold to customers here.
The company will maintain the current two versions of AT and MT. However, only the AT version will be assembled in Viet Nam, while the MT version is still imported.
Mitsubishi Motors' plant in the southern province of Binh Duong currently has a capacity of only 10,000 vehicles per year and is assembling the Outlander version. Therefore, if it installs both versions, it may be difficult to quickly supply the market.
In order to convince the parent company to allow the assemble, the Vietnamese branch must ensure that it can sell at least 10,000 cars per year.
In the future, Xpander and other assembled vehicles will benefit from the revised Decree 125, exempting excise tax for domestic production.
Mitsubishi Motors has been doing business in Viet Nam since 1994, when Viet Nam's automobile industry first began. Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam quickly became an important part of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, helping it grow in ASEAN and help the automotive market expand in Viet Nam.
Since the autumn of 2017, Mitsubishi Xpander has had strong sales in the Southeast Asian market. It was not until October 2018 this new crossover multi-purpose vehicle went on sale in Viet Nam. — VNS
