TOKYO (March 21, 2007) - Mazda Motor Corp plans to increase by fiscal 2008 domestic production by about 15 pct from the fiscal 2006 level and introduce a hydrogen-electric hybrid vehicle by that year, the Nikkei business daily reported without citing sources.
Mazda will give details of plans to increase production capacity and focus resources on green vehicles in its medium-term business plan to start in the year to March 2008, which will be announced tomorrow.

The Nikkei said Mazda plans to run its two domestic plants at full capacity. At its Yamaguchi Prefecture factory, it is set to upgrade painting equipment, which has been an obstacle to increasing output. Domestic production, which is estimated at 990,000 units for fiscal 2006, is to rise to 1.05 mln in fiscal 2007 and reach 1.15 mln in the following financial year.