Twitter headlinesJapan
[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Toyota Unveils Sai Compact Luxury Hybrid in Japan
October 20, 2009
| The SAI G package. Click to enlarge. |
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has unveiled the Sai compact luxury hybrid sedan in Japan (earlier post); the vehicle, based on the platform also used for the Lexus HS 250h (earlier post), is planned to go on sale in Japan on 7 December. The new platform was developed for medium/compact vehicles. The monthly sales target for Japan is 3,000 units.
The Sai features a 2.4 liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine (2AZ-FXE) with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), coupled with a 105 kW motor and reduction gear. By delaying intake valve closure, the engine achieves a high expansion ratio at low pressure, thus raising heat efficiency.
More... | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Daihatsu to Exhibit the e:S Concept at Tokyo Motor Show; Minicar with Stop-Start System
October 12, 2009
| The Daihatsu e:S concept. Click to enlarge. |
Daihatsu Motor, Toyota Motor’s minicar specialist, will exhibit six concept cars of four different vehicle series and nine production vehicles along with new technologies at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show to be held from 24 October to 4 November.
One of those, the e:S (eco & smart) concept achieves high fuel efficiency of 30 km/liter [70.6 mpg US, 3.33 L/100 km] (10-15 test cycle, measured by Daihatsu) through improvements to existing technologies and the use of a start-stop system—i.e., keeping the cost down while providing fuel consumption competitive with hybrids. (Earlier post.)
More... | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Mitsubishi to Debut Concept Plug-in Hybrid and Concept Cargo Variant of the i-MiEV at Tokyo Show
September 30, 2009
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will be showing a total of 16 cars at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show later in October, including two concept cars: the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid and the i-MiEV CARGO. MMC will also show 10 current production vehicles that qualify for eco-car tax incentives in Japan.
MMC Plug-in Hybrid. Powered by the new Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System, the Mitsubishi Concept-PX (plug-in hybrid crossover) MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) returns fuel economy in excess of 50 km/liter (118 mpg US, 2.0L/100km) on the Japanese 10-15 cycle.
More... | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Mazda to Debut Next-Generation Direct Injection Gasoline and Diesel Engines, Transmission and Kiyora Concept at Tokyo Motor Show 2009
September 29, 2009
| The Kiyora Concept uses a 1.3-liter version of the new SKY-G gasoline direct injection engine and achieves fuel economy of 75 mpg US on the Japanese 10-15 cycle. Click to enlarge. |
Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premiere of its next-generation engine lineup and automatic transmissions at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show, to be held from Saturday, 24 October through 4 November. Mazda will exhibit the Mazda SKY-G direct injection gasoline engine, the Mazda SKY-D advanced diesel engine and the Mazda SKY Drive high-efficiency automatic transmission.
The Tokyo Motor Show, to be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, will also mark the Japan debut of the Kiyora concept car as an exhibit of Mazda’s next-generation environmental and safety technologies. Featuring the next-generation Mazda SKY concept powertrain technologies and comprehensive advancements in weight reduction, the Kiyora achieves fuel economy of 32 kilometers per liter under Japan’s 10-15 mode test cycle (3.13 L/100km or 75 mpg US).
More... | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Think and Ener1 Supplying Electric Drivetrains and Battery Packs to Japan Post for EV Conversions; Potential New Line of Business
July 28, 2009
| The converted EV. Click to enlarge. |
Electric vehicle manufacturer Think Global and Ener1, one of its battery partners, are supplying a fully integrated electric drivetrain powered by a lithium-ion battery system to Japan Post for the conversion of delivery vehicles as part of a comprehensive road-testing program. Japan Post is also deploying 40 original electric vehicles this fiscal year—20 units apiece of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the Subaru Plug-In Stella. (Earlier post.)
Think and Ener1 are working with Zero Sports of Japan, which has been selected by Japan Post as one of the conversion partners for delivering electric vehicles as part of the testing program in support of its goal to electrify the fleet of 22,000 delivery vehicles. With the support of strategic partner ITOCHU Corporation, which organized this project, EnerDel provided engineering support on the delivery of the first two postal service vehicles to Japan Post via Zero Sports.
More... | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)
JAMA Survey Attempts to Identify Shifting Attitudes of Younger Japanese Potential Car Buyers
June 16, 2009
A survey by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) focused on the “entry generation” of vehicle buyers found that while there has not been any definitive major shift in terms of the basic appeal of cars, fewer young people today have strong feelings towards car ownership. Meanwhile, a more cautious stance prevails with regard to the timing of a vehicle purchase.
This survey was conducted against the backdrop of indications that young Japanese adults are increasingly moving away from cars and car use. A key objective of the study was to track how young people’s perceptions of cars could be expected to change over the coming years.
More... | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Insight Becomes First Hybrid Vehicle to Rank as Best-Selling Vehicle in Japan
May 11, 2009
| Insight sales in Japan from launch. Click to enlarge. |
Honda’s Insight (earlier post) ranked as the best-selling car among all new vehicle registrations in Japan in April—excluding mini-vehicles with displacement of less than 660cc—with sales of 10,481 units, according to data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.
This marks the first time a hybrid model has been the best selling vehicle in Japan for any monthly sales period.
More... | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Japan-GTL Consortium Completes Construction of Demo Plant for New Gas-to-Liquids Process
April 17, 2009
| The Japan-GTL demonstration plant. Click to enlarge. |
The Japan-GTL consortium, formed in 2006 to commercialize a lower-cost gas-to-liquids GTL) process for the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals that does not require first removing carbon dioxide from the feedstock, has completed construction of its demonstration plant which will produce 500 barrels (about 80 kiloliters) per day. (Earlier post.) The opening ceremony took place on 16 April.
The Japan-GTL group includes oil developers Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) and INPEX Corp; refiners Nippon Oil and Cosmo Oil; engineering firms Chiyoda and Nippon Steel Engineering; and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp (JOGMEC), a state-run energy researcher.
More... | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Japan Vehicle Production and Exports Down 20.4% and 18.1% Respectively in November
December 26, 2008
 |
| Vehicle production in Japan dropped 20.4% in November year-on-year. Cars of more than 2.0L displacement suffered the largest drop. Click to enlarge. Data: JAMA |
Total production of cars, trucks and buses in Japan for domestic sales as well as for export dropped 20.4% in November year-on-year to 854,171 units, according to figures released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). This marked the second consecutive month of year-on-year production decreases, and is the largest monthly on-year decline since JAMA began compiling data in 1967.
Vehicle exports from Japan in November 2008 were 491,990 units, down 18.1% compared with the units total recorded for the same month of the previous year. This marks an export decrease on the same month of the previous year for two consecutive months.
More... | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0)
Japan Auto Industry Forecasts Further Domestic Decline in 2009
December 24, 2008
 |
| Passenger car demand in Japan. Click to enlarge. Data: JAMA |
In its December forecast, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) projects that total sales of passenger cars and commercial vehicles in Japan in calendar 2008 should finish at 5.11 million units, a decline of 4.5% from the previous year. JAMA is forecasting a further 4.9% reduction to 4.86 million units in 2009. Peak new vehicle demand in Japan’s domestic market was in 1996, with 7,077,745 units, according to JAMA.
Demand for passenger cars is estimated at 4.25 million units (down 3.3% from 2007); for trucks, at 843,000 units (down 10.1%); and for buses, at 15,400 units (down 1.4%). JAMA attributes the decline in sales of both passenger cars and commercial vehicles to the economic slowdown and sinking consumer confidence caused by soaring fuel prices in the first half of the year, as well as a dramatically deteriorating economy, starting in autumn, resulting from the “US-spawned global financial crisis.”
