Japan
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How, where, when, and to what degree electric cars will increase their share of the world's billion-plus vehicle fleet is a topic of much debate these days. Combined with autonomy, connectivity, and sharing, the growing electrification of personal vehicles is a major transition for carmakers old and new. Now, with governments increasingly focused on reducing the carbon footprint of transportation, road vehicles are squarely in regulators' crosshairs. DON'T MISS: China developing timetable to end sales, production of gasoline cars Nowhere did that become more apparent than in China's...
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Nissan e-NV200 Fridge Concept: electric refrigerated van at Tokyo Motor Show
Nissan will roll out a new electric van concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, one that it believes will help solve urban delivery congestion. The e-NV200 Fridge Concept adds a refrigerated compartment to the existing e-NV200 electric small delivery van to keep various perishable goods fresh while...
Sean Szymkowski -
Honda Clarity Electric, Plug-In Hybrid: first drives, impressions
In March, we spent most of a day with the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell, the first of three variants of the Clarity mid-size sedan to go on sale in the U.S. Leases of the hydrogen-powered Clarity will be limited for the foreseeable future to residents of those areas of California near to hydrogen fueling...
John Voelcker -
Toyota, Honda, Nissan, other Japan firms to fund hydrogen fueling
Earlier this year in Europe, 13 companies joined forces to create the Hydrogen Council, a global initiative to discuss and promote the use of hydrogen as a renewable source of energy. In the United States, GM and Honda have partnered up to build a production plant in Michigan that will roll out...
John Voelcker -
Electric-car range: why Japanese needs differ so radically from the U.S.
It was one of the new battery-electric vehicles anticipated for this year, a mid-size sedan from a global maker that remains the second highest-volume hybrid maker in the world. Then the news hit earlier this week: the all-electric Honda Clarity EV would have a rated battery range around ... 80...
John Voelcker -
Toyota to launch fuel-cell buses next year for Olympics
Toyota will deliver its first hydrogen fuel-cell buses next year.
Stephen Edelstein -
The Toyota Prius' design may be a disadvantage in the U.S., analysts say.
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Nissan Note hybrid leaked, but not likely for North America
The Nissan Versa Note has never been a particularly big seller in North America. Its sedan counterpart is one of the largest and most capacious vehicles in the subcompact segment, but the Note has always been more of a car for European and Asian markets. There, it does fairly well, in part due to a...
John Voelcker -
Range-extended electric Nissan Note to launch in November?
An extended-range electric Nissan Note will launch in Japan in November, according to a new report.
Stephen Edelstein -
Japan may beat U.S. to allowing camera-based side mirrors
Japan will allow carmakers to replace traditional side-view mirrors with cameras.
Stephen Edelstein -
CHAdeMO DC fast-charging to run at up to 150 kilowatts, starting in 2017
The CHAdeMO DC fast-charging standard will soon support 150-kW charging.
Stephen Edelstein -
Japan wants Fukushima to be major hydrogen production center
The Japanese government wants to promote hydrogen production in the Fukushima prefecture.
Stephen Edelstein -
Suzuki said it used the wrong methods for fuel-economy tests, but implied the deception wasn't intentional.
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Mitsubishi retests U.S. fuel economy after EPA request, confirms 2013-2017 ratings (update)
The dominos continue to fall as more and more carmakers are investigated for accuracy in their testing of emissions and fuel economy over longer periods of time. While European buyers had complained for years that EU fuel-economy ratings diverged from real-world results, nothing much happened until...
John Voelcker -
While U.S. plug-in sales were flat last year, rest of world soared
U.S. electric-car sales decreased slightly last year, but they increased in China, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
Stephen Edelstein -
Toyota Mirai manga: hydrogen fuel cell beats electric cars, plug-in hybrids
Manga are comics created in Japan, conforming to a style set more than 100 years ago and still very much a part of popular culture. While they may look like no more than light entertainment, they're widely read by people of all ages—and sometimes used to market commercial products. A year...
Matthew Klippenstein -
Hydrogen for fuel-cell vehicles made from wind energy in Japanese test
Toyota is experimenting with hydrogen made using wind power.
Stephen Edelstein -
Honda Hybrid Minivan On Sale In Japan, Using Accord Hybrid System
A Honda Odyssey Hybrid minivan goes on sale in Japan this week.
Stephen Edelstein -
Japanese regulators are dragging their feet with rules for a new type of fueling station.
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All Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Cars Are Compliance Cars, For Now
When the first Honda Insight and Toyota Prius hybrids launched in 1999 and 2000, expectations for their sales were low. And hybrids indeed logged annual sales in the low thousands until the second-generation Prius came along for 2004. But the sales numbers for the earliest hybrids look...
John Voelcker -
I Can't Buy A Honda Fit Hybrid In The U.S.; Can I Import One?
We occasionally run articles about "forbidden fruit," or cool and desirable cars sold overseas that aren't available in the U.S. With Honda down to a single hybrid vehicle for the 2016 model year--the aging and low-volume CR-Z two-seater--it turns out one reader is looking covetously at the...
John Voelcker -
Mazda Tests Hybrid Vs Electric To See Which Japanese Drivers Prefer
Mazda plans to use current Japanese consumer trials to decide on future green powertrains.
Stephen Edelstein -
Electric Cars Aren't Selling Because Makers Can't, Don't Market Them: Report
A new study claims lack of advertising is to blame for low electric-car sales.
Stephen Edelstein -
Japan's Olympic Hydrogen Push Faces Challenges, Questions
Tokyo's governor is enthusiastic about hydrogen, but plans to showcase it at the 2020 Olympics face some challenges.
Stephen Edelstein