From the Japan Times/Kyodo News: Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. is considering suspending production of its only electric vehicle, sources said Monday (so said Bloomberg, Fuji Heavy denied the report later that day).
Details including the timing of the suspension have not been decided, but the maker of Subaru brand cars could suspend production of the EV when the automaker stops manufacturing the Stella minivehicle, the EV's base car, the sources said.
Fuji Heavy plans to withdraw completely from minivehicle production sometime around 2012.
Fuji Heavy began selling the plug-in Stella electric vehicle to corporate customers and local governments in July 2009 with a sales target of 400 units by the end of March 2011.
The Stella EV, manufactured at a plant in Ota, Gunma Prefecture, is priced at ¥4.73 million.
Fuji Heavy is seeking to launch a plug-in gasoline electric hybrid vehicle, which can be recharged using a household electrical outlet, in the mid-2010s.
The automaker is seeking support from its top shareholder, Toyota Motor Corp., an industry leader in the development and marketing of gas-electric hybrids.
Read more...