Author: Ryo Suzuki

Suzuki has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with transit developer Thoth Infrastructure and autonomous mobility company Glydways to evaluate the deployment of a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system at the Sabarmati Multimodal Hub in Ahmedabad, India. The study will examine whether an autonomous electric transit network can improve first- and last-mile connectivity around the planned high-speed rail terminal, where passenger volumes are expected to increase significantly as the project develops. Partners Begin Feasibility Study The agreement marks the start of a feasibility assessment rather than a commitment to build the system. Under the collaboration, Suzuki will work alongside California-based…

Isuzu Motors has officially opened The EARTH lab., a JP¥40 billion (US$248 million) electric vehicle development facility at its Fujisawa Plant in Japan, creating a central hub for the company’s next generation of commercial electric vehicle technologies. The five-story, 27,000-square-meter facility consolidates research, testing and validation for batteries, motors, eAxles and thermal management systems to support the Isuzu Group’s commercial EV development program. Dedicated Hub for EV Development Originally announced in November 2023, The EARTH lab. is designed to accelerate early-stage verification of both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCV) technologies. The facility enables engineers to…

Honda has revised its interim carbon reduction targets and removed electrified vehicle sales as a key management metric in its 2026 Sustainability Report, signaling a slower pace for its decarbonization roadmap while maintaining its long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The updated targets reflect changing market conditions, evolving trade policies and a broader shift toward measuring total lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Interim CO₂ Targets Reduced Honda lowered its fiscal 2031 carbon dioxide intensity reduction targets across all three of its major business segments compared with fiscal 2020 levels. The motorcycle division’s target was reduced from 34% to 15%,…

Applied Intuition has expanded its Self-Driving System (SDS) to Japan, introducing advanced driver-assistance capabilities less than a year after launching the platform across North America and Europe. The company announced the expansion during its Intersect 26: Japan event, extending the SDS platform into a third major automotive region. Bringing L2+ and L2++ Capabilities to Japan The Self-Driving System supports L2+ and L2++ driver-assistance functions, including intelligent parking, active safety features, and point-to-point urban driving. Applied Intuition said the platform is designed to support future progression toward Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving capabilities using the same underlying architecture. The…

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is preparing to expand its electric vehicle incentive programme, proposing higher subsidies for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles as part of efforts to accelerate the transition to low-emission transportation. Under the proposed revision, the maximum subsidy available through Tokyo’s programme would increase by ¥300,000, bringing total support from the metropolitan government to as much as ¥1.3 million (approximately €7,025). The measures are intended to encourage greater adoption of electric vehicles in Japan, where EV market penetration remains significantly lower than in many other major automotive markets. Basic EV Subsidy to Double The proposal would double Tokyo’s…

Tesla’s vehicle registrations in Japan nearly tripled in May from a year earlier, according to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA), extending the electric vehicle maker’s strong growth trajectory in one of Asia’s largest automotive markets. Registrations attributed to Tesla rose 182% year-on-year to 1,996 vehicles in May, based on figures reported under the JAIA’s “Others” category, where the company is typically grouped because it does not publicly disclose detailed registration data in Japan. The May result lifted Tesla’s registrations for the first five months of 2026 to 8,194 vehicles, an increase of approximately 157% from 3,178 units…

Mitsubishi Electric said it will begin shipping samples of its fifth-generation silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (SiC-MOSFETs) later this month, as automakers seek more efficient power electronics to improve the performance and range of electrified vehicles. The new devices, which will be supplied in bare die form starting in late June, are designed for use in drive motor inverters and eAxle systems in battery-electric and hybrid vehicles. The company said the fifth-generation products deliver approximately 25% lower on-resistance than their fourth-generation counterparts, a performance improvement that can help reduce energy losses in vehicle powertrains. Focus on Inverter Efficiency Silicon carbide…

Japanese battery equipment manufacturers have established a new venture focused on developing modular electric vehicle (EV) battery factories, an approach designed to reduce construction timelines and lower manufacturing costs. The initiative is being led by Swiftfab Energy Systems, a company formed in April by nine battery equipment suppliers, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. Industry Consortium Targets Battery Manufacturing Efficiency Swiftfab’s founding members include Hitachi, Ricoh, Toyota Motor-affiliated Jtekt, Komatsu subsidiary Komatsu NTC, and industrial air-conditioning specialist Seibu Giken. The participating companies are members of the Battery Association for Supply Chain, a Japanese industry group supporting battery manufacturing development.…

Mazda has launched a biodiesel demonstration project with logistics company Nippon Express to assess the potential of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a lower-emission fuel for vehicle transportation operations in Japan. The trial will run through the end of 2026 and involves transport trailers operating on a round-trip route of approximately 12 kilometers between Mazda’s Hofu manufacturing plant and a nearby vehicle storage facility in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Evaluating Renewable Diesel in Logistics The demonstration uses a fuel blend containing approximately 51% HVO and 49% conventional diesel. The companies will evaluate fuel efficiency, vehicle performance and operational considerations during the trial…

Chinese automaker Chery is expanding its international ambitions into Japan’s highly competitive kei car segment through a newly established electric vehicle joint venture that brings together partners from China, Japan and Singapore. The new company, Electric Mobility Technology (EMT), will market vehicles under the Emta brand, an abbreviation of “Easy, Made To All,” and plans to launch its first electric model in the Japanese market in 2027. EMT is a multi-party alliance that includes Chery Automobile, Jiangsu Yueda Automobile Group, Japanese automotive retailer Autobacs Seven, Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion, and Japanese industrial equipment company Anest Iwata. The venture is headquartered…

Toyota has reportedly suspended development of a planned battery-electric Lexus saloon that was expected to enter production later this decade, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. If confirmed, the decision would end plans to bring the Lexus LF-ZC concept, first unveiled in 2023, into series production and marks a significant adjustment to Toyota’s next-generation electric vehicle roadmap. The LF-ZC, which stands for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, was originally presented as a preview of a new generation of battery-electric Lexus models and was expected to play a central role in the premium brand’s electrification strategy. Toyota initially planned to launch…

Jatco, a subsidiary of Nissan Motor, has abandoned plans to manufacture electric vehicle powertrains in Sunderland due to weaker-than-expected demand for Nissan electric vehicles in Europe, the Nikkei business daily reported on Sunday. Jatco had announced in January 2025 that it would invest £48.7 million ($66 million) in a Sunderland facility designed to produce up to 340,000 electric vehicle powertrain units annually for Nissan. The planned production was intended to cover integrated EV powertrains combining motors, inverters and reducers. However, later in 2025, Nissan announced broader restructuring measures after weakening vehicle sales in the United States and China affected the…