Daihatsu Mini Commercial EV Production Line Supports Flexible Manufacturing

Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd opened its mini commercial electric vehicle production line to the media on July 1 at its Daihatsu Kyushu Oita No. 1 Plant in Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, Japan. The newly introduced manufacturing approach allows the company to assemble electric vehicles without making dedicated capital investments for a separate production line. Instead, battery installation is integrated into the existing line used for specially equipped vehicles, enabling flexible production while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.

The production system supports the company's recently launched e-Hijet Cargo and e-Atrai mini commercial electric vehicles, which entered the market in February. These models were jointly developed with Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation, while Daihatsu remains responsible for vehicle production. The collaborative development strategy allows the companies to leverage their respective expertise while streamlining manufacturing operations for compact commercial EVs.

Daihatsu has established an initial monthly sales target of 300 units for the e-Hijet Cargo and e-Atrai. At present, battery packs are installed using a single battery lifter integrated into the production process. This arrangement supports current production requirements while avoiding major investments in dedicated EV assembly infrastructure, offering greater manufacturing flexibility as market demand evolves.

As production volumes increase, the company plans to expand battery installation capacity by introducing additional battery-installation lifters. According to Daihatsu, operating with two lifters is expected to raise production capability to approximately 1,000 vehicles per month, providing a scalable manufacturing solution that can accommodate future growth in demand for mini commercial electric vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has Daihatsu designed its mini commercial EV production line for future expansion?
Daihatsu has configured its production line to manufacture mini commercial electric vehicles without requiring dedicated capital investment for a separate EV assembly line. Battery installation is carried out on an existing production line used for specially equipped vehicles, providing operational flexibility. The current setup uses one battery lifter, while future expansion plans include adding a second lifter, which is expected to increase monthly production capacity from current levels to around 1,000 units as demand grows.