Fuji Heavy Industries has doubled production of its first hybrid model to 2,000 units per month, officials of the Subaru vehicle maker said.
The move is designed to end delays in the delivery of the Subaru XV Hybrid sport-utility vehicle, which is popular thanks to its high driving performance achieved by an electric motor used to assist engine output, they old Jiji Press.
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Orders reached 9,200 units in late August, two months after the vehicle’s launch in June, compared with the company’s monthly sales target of 550 units. Customers have to wait for five months for delivery, according to the officials.
The Subaru XV Hybrid is produced at the company’s Yajima plant in Ota, Gunma Prefecture, whose overall output capacity is 422,000 units a year.
In August, Fuji Heavy raised the annual output capacity of its main factory in the same city to 180,000 units from 165,000 units, allowing the transfer of production of some other models from the Yajima plant, the officials said.
