This photo shows Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s battery-driven Minicab MiEV, which will be used to deliver goods in Thailand under a pilot study to be implemented by the Thai subsidiaries of the Japanese automaker and Hitachi Transport System Ltd. (Photo courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co./NNA/Kyodo)

       BANGKOK (NNA/Kyodo) -- Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co. has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hitachi Transport System Ltd.'s local arm to study the commercial viability of using electric vehicles to deliver goods in the Southeast Asian country.

       The Mitsubishi Motors Corp. subsidiary said Thursday the Hitachi unit, Eternity Grand Logistics Public Co., will use one unit of the automaker's small battery-powered van Minicab MiEV for the pilot project for a year, collecting data such as the distance run, power charge logs and delivery routes covered to verify a better environment for commercial EVs.

       Mitsubishi Motors Corp. "has provided about 9,000 units of the Minicab MiEV to many logistics companies, retailers and local governments in Japan," Eiichi Koito, head of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand), said in a statement. "We will continue to explore the viability of electrification in tandem with the proliferation of charging stations and support from the Thai government."

       "As one of the leading players in the logistics industry, we have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint," said Ryuichi Honda, chairman of Eternity Grand Logistics. "At the operational level, we also need to redress operational expenses. We are proud to be partnering with one of the leading automotive companies for our green initiative."

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