Mitsubishi L100 electric vehicle starts production in Indonesia

Mitsubishi Motors has officially begun the production of its all-new L100 electric vehicle (EV) in Indonesia. Known as the Minicab i-MiEV in Japan, this marks a huge milestone for the brand as this is the first time that the model will be made outside of its home market. 

The Mitsubishi Minicab EV is known as the L100 EV in Indonesia (Japanese-spec model pictured)

Assembly of the Minicab EV is already being carried out at the PT Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia (MMKI) factory. This is the same plant that produces the popular Mitsubishi Xpander MPV. 

"In 2017, MMKI began production of the Xpander, which is now not only sold domestically in Indonesia, but also exported to support the development of the Indonesian auto industry," said Mitsubishi Motors President and Chief Executive Officer Takao Kato.

“With the start of our first production of EVs overseas, we hope to meet the growing demand for EVs in the ASEAN region and at the same time contribute to the country's environmental initiatives," added Kato.

Of note, the Minicab EV is a kei-sized commercial vehicle that uses the same powertrain as the i-MiEV, the world’s first-ever mass-produced EV. As mentioned above, the L100 is also the Indonesian version of the Mitsubishi Minicab-MiEV which has been on sale in Japan since 2011. 

While the L100’s specs are yet to be revealed, the Japanese-spec version can output 40 horsepower and 196 Nm of torque. It also has a range of 150 kilometers on a full charge, and has a maximum load capacity of 350 kilograms.

The L100 EV will be built at the PT Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia factory

According to Mitsubishi, this fully electric car will help immensely to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the last-mile commercial operations of businesses. “Last mile” refers to the final phase of a logistics company’s delivery process wherein goods are delivered to a customer’s doorstep. 

Beyond that, the Minicab EV also features a compact size that will be appropriate for the roads of a typical ASEAN city. For reference, the Japan version is a mere 935mm long, 1,360mm wide, and 1,125mm in height. That sounds quite small, but Mitsubishi says its EV components, including its battery, are positioned under the floor. As such, its interior remains optimized for space. 

Last but not least, the brand shared that sales for the Mitsubishi L100 EV will start in Indonesia around March 2024. 

On that note, we would also like to see this small but capable electric-powered commercial vehicle here in the local market. We envision that It would make for a more compact EV alternative to the much larger Mitsubishi L300. 

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