Japanese Auto Industry News Briefs

08/28/96

Mazda Plans to Share Platforms with Ford

Kyodo has reported that Mazda Motor Corporation, a Ford affiliate, plans to share vehicle platforms with Ford Motor Company in order to reduce the cost of developing new car models. Mazda will determine which models will be subject to the program and their launch dates by early next year.

In the future, Mazda sees the two companies producing cars on common platforms in plants in Japan and other Asian nations as well as in the U.S. and Europe. Both companies would sell the cars under their own labels.

Mazda's plans fit in with Ford's own plans to cut the number of platforms it uses in half by the year 2000. Ford currently produces cars from about 30 different platforms.

Mitsubishi Motors Announces Plans to Make Engines in China

Nikkei English News reported more details about Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's plans to produce engines and transmissions for passenger cars in China, in partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation, two Chinese firms, and an investment company affiliated with the Malaysian government.

Mitsubishi Motors Chairman Hirokazu Nakamura said the company will set up joint ventures in Harbin and Shenyang. Chinese firms will own 51% of the operations, Mitsubishi Motors will own 25%, the Malaysian investment firm will have 14.7%, and Mitsubishi Corporation will take 9.3%.

The Harbin venture will begin manufacturing 1300cc engines and transmissions in 1998. By 2003 the venture is supposed to produce 150,000 of each, annually. The Shenyang firm will assemble 2000cc and 2400cc engines and transmissions starting in 1999. It is also projecting annual productions of 150,000 units by 2003.

Mitsubishi Motors also announced plans to produce diesel engines for large trucks, in cooperation with China North Industries Group.

Daihatsu, Kansai Electric Join Forces to Develop an Electric Car

Kyodo reported that Daihatsu Motor Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co. announced on Monday they have jointly developed an electric vehicle powered by a nickel-hydrogen battery.

The four-seat Charade Social EV measures 4 by 1.6 meters and can run at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (about 75 mph). The car's battery is 1.5 times more powerful than conventional lead ones and can power the car over a distance of 120 km (about 75 miles) without recharging. The vehicle is based on Daihatsu's gasoline-powered Charade Social small passenger car to curb development costs. It will cost the companies 5 million yen to produce 100 of the vehicles a year. Daihatsu will market the new vehicle to local governments on a trial basis.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel