Author: Ryo Suzuki

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…

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…