New MD taking Mitsubishi in SA to new hights
Takalani Bruce Mukhola has been appointed as the new Managing Director at Brietta Trading the authorised distributors of Mitsubishi Motors in Southern Africa.
- Industry News
- 11 February 2026
Mitsubishi Motors Corp plans for hybrid and battery electric vehicles to account for all new car sales by the middle of the next decade, Reuters reported on 10 March.
The company hopes that beefing up its electrification strategy will ensure that it remains competitive in key markets.
Mitsubishi, which is also a junior partner in an alliance with France's Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co, said it would roll out 16 new models over the next five years.
The Japanese automaker, known for its Outlander sport utility vehicle, stuck to a previous goal of having half of its new car sales electrified by fiscal 2030 and on Friday newly pledged to raise that further to 100% by fiscal 2035.
Mitsubishi considers plug-in hybrids (PHEV), hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEV) as electrified vehicles. Electrified vehicles accounted for about 7% of the company's total new car sales in fiscal 2021.
"Among our existing models, we'll expand the geographical areas where our flagship PHEV Outlander is being offered and expand the sales of the Minicab-MiEV light commercial EV, which was relaunched last year," Chief Executive Takao Kato said.
Among the 16 new models Mitsubishi plans to roll out, one will be a BEV Renault alliance model, while another will be a Nissan alliance model, Mitsubishi said in presentation materials that were part of its fiscal 2023-2025 business plan.
Mitsubishi, an early mover in EVs in the early 2010s, currently has no BEVs in its line-up in Europe. Its new BEV for Europe would mark a comeback in a highly competitive market where new entrants such as Tesla have already rapidly won market share.
The model could be a variant of the Renault electric MPV Scenic made in France and which is expected in 2024, or a variant of the Renault electric city cars R5 or R4 expected respectively in 2024 and 2025 and also made in France, a close and reliable source said.
Of the other 14 models Mitsubishi plans to launch, seven will be purely combustion engine-powered ones, five will be hybrids and the remaining two will be BEVs, the company said.
Takalani Bruce Mukhola has been appointed as the new Managing Director at Brietta Trading the authorised distributors of Mitsubishi Motors in Southern Africa.
Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled Vision Pulse, an advanced safety technology designed to identify obstacles that drivers cannot see.
As Lepas prepares to launch its premium SUV range in South Africa in the first quarter of 2026, the brand is highlighting its commitment to after-sales service by leveraging the proven, tangible assets of its parent brand, Chery.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Ahead of the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has once again called on the President and national government to act decisively on South Africa’s electric vehicle transition.
Volkswagen Group is accelerating its technological reset in China as it prepares to base the majority of its locally built vehicles on its new China Electronic Architecture (CEA) by 2030.
At this year’s Automechanika Breakfast, Greg Cress, Principal Director for Automotive and eMobility at Accenture South Africa, delivered a clear and urgent message. He said the transformation of the global automotive sector is no longer a distant prospect, it is happening now.