Author: Ryo Suzuki

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…

Honda said it will begin sales of the Honda Super-ONE in Japan on May 22, 2026, with prices starting at 3.39 million yen ($21,400) including tax. The Super-ONE is based on the N-ONE e: platform but uses a dedicated chassis with a tread widened by 10 millimeters to provide what Honda described as sportier handling characteristics compared with its compact EV stablemates. Honda said the vehicle has a curb weight of 1,090 kilograms, which it claims is the lightest in its class, combined with a 1,345-millimeter tread width. The EV includes five drive modes, including a new BOOST mode that…

Japanese automakers Mazda and Subaru are further delaying plans for their first dedicated electric vehicle platforms as both companies redirect resources toward hybrid and combustion-engine vehicles amid changing market conditions. Mazda has postponed the launch of its first vehicle based on the Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture to 2029, according to Automotive News, marking the second major delay for the platform. The company had originally planned to launch the platform in 2025 before later revising the target to 2028. Mazda first introduced the Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture roadmap in 2021, outlining plans for multiple electric vehicle models between 2025 and 2030.…

Japanese industrial manufacturer Nidec plans to withdraw from its e-axle joint ventures in China and Europe, marking a strategic shift away from a business segment the company now views as highly competitive. Nidec President and Chief Executive Mitsuya Kishida said the company intends to exit its electric axle operations, describing the sector as a “red ocean,” according to an interview with Nikkei Asia. “We want to withdraw from the e-axle business, which has become a red ocean,” Kishida told Nikkei Asia. The Japanese company is currently negotiating with Chinese automaker GAC over its departure from Guangzhou Nidec Auto Drive System,…

BYD has commissioned six additional electric buses in Japan, bringing the company’s total number of electric buses operating in the country to 500. The latest vehicles were delivered to Nankai Rinkan Bus, a transport operator based in Hashimoto in Wakayama Prefecture. According to BYD, the buses will operate on the Koyasan Inland Line connecting Koyasan Station and Okunoin-mae. The deployment marks the first commercial introduction of BYD electric buses in Wakayama Prefecture. Nankai Rinkan Bus has introduced six units of the BYD K8, currently the largest electric bus model offered by the Chinese manufacturer in Japan. The K8 measures 10.5…

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…