Osamu Masuko, chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors Corp, poses with an Xpander multipurpose vehicle at the Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, near Jakarta, on Aug 10, 2017. (Kyodo photo)

TOKYO: Mitsubishi Motors Corp said on Monday it will join forces with the Indonesian government to promote electric vehicles in the Southeast Asian country, as the government ramps up efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.

“This memorandum of understanding is a vote of confidence by the Indonesian government in the electric technologies of Mitsubishi Motors,” chief executive officer Osamu Masuko said in a statement.

“We are pleased to be playing our part in helping to reduce emissions in Indonesia and in supporting its transition to a low carbon economy.”

Under the agreement, the Indonesian government will pursue new policies and incentive programmes to encourage drivers and manufacturers to adopt electric vehicles in the biggest auto market in the region, the carmaker said.

The Japanese automaker said it will work with the government on a joint study to examine the efficient usage of zero-emission vehicles in the country, while providing 10 electric vehicles and four charging units to the Indonesian Ministry of Industry and other entities.

Mitsubishi Motors, one of the leading EV makers in Japan and an affiliate of Nissan Motor Co, currently produces the Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and the i-MiEV electric minicar.

In April, Mitsubishi Motors opened a new assembly plant in Indonesia with an annual production capacity of 160,000 vehicles as it aims to double its share of the local market to 10% within three years. The carmaker entered the Indonesian market 46 years ago.