MMC to Stop Making Most Commercial Minivehicles

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. says it will stop producing conventionally powered commercial minivehicles by the end of March. But the company plans to remain in the dwindling market by selling rebadged vehicles supplied by Suzuki Motor Corp.

About half the minitrucks MMC builds are sold in Japan under its own brand. The balance is supplied to Nissan Motor Co. as the Nissan Clipper.

The company intends to convert the Mizushima factory that primarily makes minitrucks to assemble electric passenger and commercial minivehicles.

Minitrucks, which account for most of Japan's commercial minivehicle sales, peaked at about 430,000 units more than 20 years ago, according to The Nikkei. It says MMC built only 61,000 such vehicles in fiscal 2012, down more than 85% from its volume during the segment's heyday.

MMC's exit from conventionally powered minivehicles leaves the market to Daihatsu, Honda and Suzuki. Fuji Heavy Industries stopped making such vehicles last year, The Nikkei notes.