Nissan Japan eyes tie-up with government on infrastructure project

MANILA, Philippines - Nissan Japan is looking at partnering with the Philippine government for the construction of   infrastructure projects that will support the entry of electric vehicles into the country.

In an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the Safari Royale, Universal Motors Corp. (UMC) chief operating officer Elizabeth H. Lee said that they would like to form a partnership with the government to finally bring in Nissan electric vehicles into the country.

Lee said that certain charging stations, similar to gasoline stations, must be built first before the electric vehicle can be introduced. She said that this can be done in a certain location first like Makati. She said charging stations must be constructed within 40 kilometer radius.

When asked if the government will have to spend for the infrastructure, Lee said the MOU between Nissan and the government will only be for incentives.

Meanwhile, UMC has launched its latest high-end full size SUV, the Patrol Royale worth P5.375 million. Lee said they will be bringing in a limited number of Patrol Royales into the country. So far, the company has sold six units of Patrol Royale. “The demand was overwhelming. We are already fast tracking our next order,” Lee said.

According to her, there is demand for high-end vehicles in the country. “The premium segment never went down,” Lee said.

The competitors of the Patrol Royale are the Land Rover, Porsche Cayenne and the Lexus SUV.

“We continue to perform and perform well, having already achieved a 39 percent growth for the first five months of the year and we remain bullish for the rest of the year,” Lee said.

“We continue to grow and expand our vehicle line-up with new model introductions. And should the government’s new auto program prove strong and relevant, we could look forward to the possibility of expanding our local assembly and manufacturing operations, generating additional employment for autoworkers, and increasing investments,” Lee added.