Author: Ryo Suzuki

Honda has reportedly decided to indefinitely suspend its planned multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle investment project in Canada as uncertainty grows around the North American EV market and changing US government policies. According to a report by Nikkei Asia, Honda has also entered discussions with the Canadian government regarding the future of the planned manufacturing and battery production facilities in Ontario. The automaker had already announced in May 2025 that it would delay construction of the project by around two years. At the time, Honda pushed the planned start of operations from 2028 to at least 2030. However, Nikkei Asia reported that…

Nissan has introduced updates for the 2026 model year of the Nissan Ariya, adding new connectivity features, Vehicle-to-Load capability and subtle design revisions while maintaining its position in the premium end of the mid-size electric SUV segment. The updated Ariya retains the overall styling of the current model, with Nissan making only modest exterior adjustments. The front grille is now finished in body colour, replacing part of the larger black front-panel design used previously. The automaker also revised the lighting signature and redesigned the standard 20-inch alloy wheels, which combine aluminium and plastic components. A new exterior paint option called…

Japanese automotive supplier Denso and the University of Tokyo are collaborating to develop a wireless charging system capable of powering electric vehicles while they are in motion, with commercialization targeted by fiscal year 2029. Under Japan’s fiscal calendar, the period extends from April 1 to March 31 of the following year, meaning the planned launch could occur in early 2030 while remaining within the announced timeframe. See also: MediaTek and DENSO Team Up on Custom ADAS Chip for Global Automakers According to Kyodo News, Denso and the University of Tokyo signed a 10-year partnership agreement last month to support the…

Honda Motor said it will begin accepting pre-orders in Japan for its new Honda Super-ONE compact electric vehicle on April 16, ahead of the model’s market launch in late May. The A-segment battery-electric vehicle weighs 1,090 kilograms and offers a driving range of 274 kilometers under worldwide harmonised light vehicle test conditions, positioning it among the lightest passenger EVs available in the Japanese market, the automaker said. Honda said the Super-ONE is based on an adapted version of its N Series lightweight platform, featuring a widened tread and a thin underfloor battery pack designed to lower the vehicle’s center of…

Tesla has launched the Tesla Model Y L in Japan, expanding availability of the long-wheelbase model to 11 markets across the Asia-Pacific region as the company seeks to build on rising demand. The Model Y L is offered in a single “Premium” grade with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration, priced at 7.59 million yen (around €41,200), including a registration processing fee. The model qualifies for Japan’s Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) subsidy of 1.27 million yen, reducing the effective price to 6.32 million yen. Additional local incentives in Tokyo of up to 800,000 yen could lower the price further to as little…

Autonomous driving technology company Wayve, ride-hailing platform Uber, and automaker Nissan Motor have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development and deployment of robotaxi services based on the Nissan LEAF. The companies plan to prepare a pilot deployment in Tokyo by late 2026. The robotaxi fleet will use Nissan LEAF vehicles equipped with Wayve’s AI Driver technology and will be accessible to passengers through the Uber app. See also: Nissan Tests Fully Autonomous Serena Minivan on Public Roads in Japan The collaboration marks Uber’s first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan and forms part of a broader robotaxi…

Japanese autonomous driving software company Tier IV has joined the Automotive Chiplet Program led by imec, an industry effort focused on developing chiplet-based semiconductor architectures for automotive applications. The company said its participation in the initiative will support its strategy to deliver scalable autonomous driving solutions across multiple vehicle platforms and operational scenarios. Chiplet technology allows semiconductor systems to be built by combining smaller chips with specialized functions into a single package. This modular approach can enable software to run across different silicon platforms without relying on a single hardware vendor, offering flexibility for automakers and technology providers. Tier IV…

TIER IV, Yamato Transport and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) have completed proof-of-concept tests for autonomous long-haul trucking in Japan, using a semi-trailer truck equipped with Level 2+ driving technology to transport freight between Tokyo and Osaka. The trials were conducted from Feb. 16 to Feb. 20, 2026 along a roughly 500-kilometer route linking Yamato Transport’s Haneda Chronogate Base in Tokyo with its Kansai Gateway Base in Osaka. Over the five-day test period, the vehicle completed two round trips carrying customer cargo. During each journey, the truck operated in hands-free mode for approximately 100 kilometers on the Shin-Tomei…

Suzuki Motor Corporation has introduced the e Every, a battery-electric mini commercial van for the Japanese market developed jointly with Daihatsu Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corporation. The vehicle is supplied to Suzuki by Daihatsu on an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basis and represents the latest collaboration among the three automakers in Japan’s kei vehicle segment. The e Every is powered by a 36.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery that provides a driving range of 257 kilometers under the Worldwide-harmonized Light vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC), according to Suzuki. The electric van features an integrated eAxle system combining the motor, inverter…

Suzuki Motor will acquire the solid-state battery operations of Japanese technology company Kanadevia, with the transaction set to take effect on July 1, 2026, as automakers intensify efforts to develop next-generation battery technologies. Kanadevia, formerly known as Hitachi Zosen Corporation until its rebranding in October 2024, has spent roughly two decades developing solid-state lithium-ion battery technology. The company began research into the technology as early as 2006, well before it gained widespread attention within the automotive industry. Under the AS-LiB brand, Kanadevia launched its first commercial solid-state batteries for specialised applications in 2024. The batteries have been deployed in demanding…

Toyota Tsusho has begun public road demonstration tests of autonomous semi-trailer trucks in Japan as part of an initiative to assess the feasibility of self-driving freight transport on major highway routes. The trials are being conducted between logistics hubs near expressway interchanges in Shizuoka Prefecture and Aichi Prefecture and form part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) “Demonstration Project for the Social Implementation of Autonomous Truck-based Trunk Line Transportation.” The project is being carried out by a five-company consortium led by Toyota Tsusho. Other participants include Robotruck Inc., Otsuka Warehouse Co., Ltd., Seino Transportation Co., Ltd.…

Honda Motor plans to export a battery-electric vehicle produced at its Chinese joint venture plant to Japan for the first time, marking a shift in the automaker’s global EV strategy as it seeks to expand its lineup in its home market. According to reports from Chinese and Japanese media, the e:NS2 electric model produced at the factory operated by Dongfeng Honda will be introduced in Japan as early as spring 2026. The vehicle will reportedly be sold under the revived Honda Insight nameplate. Pre-orders for the model are expected to begin on March 19, with exports limited to about 3,000…