Tag - cars

 
 

CARS

Strong sales of Prius hybrids are delivering a cash boost for Toyota to invest in fully-electric cars.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 16, 2024
Hybrids delivering cash chest for Toyota and Honda’s EV ambitions
With the shift to battery-electric vehicles clearly taking much longer than anticipated, consumers are voting for hybrids with their wallets.
Toyota CEO Koji Sato says the company plans to expand AI-related investments, and this year will focus on building a strong foundation for software-defined vehicles.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2024
Japan’s carmakers look to China tech to claw back market share
With no signs of demand slowing for Chinese EVs, Japanese carmakers are looking to adapt their strategies to win over the world’s biggest auto market.
Workers head to Daihatsu Motor's plant at its headquarters in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, on Tuesday.
BUSINESS
May 7, 2024
Daihatsu resumes production at all plants
All of Daihatsu's four finished vehicle assembly plants in Japan are back online for the first time in about four months.
Wecars President and CEO Shinjiro Tanaka (center) at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday
BUSINESS / Companies
May 1, 2024
New firm formed to take over Bigmotor's operations
Wecars took over around 250 outlets and some 4,200 employees from Bigmotor, and its board of directors does not include former members of Bigmotor's board.
Visitors check a Tesla Model 3 car next to a Model Y displayed at a showroom of the U.S. electric-vehicle maker in Beijing on Feb. 4.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 29, 2024
Tesla clears key regulatory hurdles for self-driving in China
Tesla is said to have reached an agreement with Baidu to use the Chinese tech giant's mapping license for data collection.
Toyota's annual global sales topped 10 million units in 2023 for the first time.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 26, 2024
Toyota sets records for output and sales as scandals fail to dent demand
Global sales increased 5% from a year earlier to 11.1 million units, new data shows, exceeding 10 million for the first time.
Masahiro Moro, CEO of Mazda Motor, speaks next to EZ-6 electric vehicles during the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 25, 2024
Nissan and Mazda roll out new models for China as they aim for comeback
The models, including some concept cars, were introduced at the Beijing Auto Show.
Daihatsu President Masahiro Inoue
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 24, 2024
Daihatsu’s new president sees potential in Africa and South America
Masahiro Inoue pointed at strong demand for compact cars in those markets due to a prevalence of narrow roads.
Japanese startup Turing plans to unveil a self-driving car with at least 30 minutes’ driving range next year and develop a fully autonomous car by 2030.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 22, 2024
An AI star seeks to bring self-driving cars to Japan by 2030
The mind behind an AI algorithm that beat a shogi master now has his sights set on a fully self-driving vehicle by 2030.
Home electric vehicle chargers during the Montreal Electric Vehicle Show in Quebec, Canada, on Friday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is offering more tax breaks to automotive firms to put their electric vehicle factories in Canada.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 22, 2024
Honda nears deal with Canada to boost electric vehicle capacity
The auto sector is particularly important to Ontario, Canada’s largest province by population and home to assembly plants.
An AA patrol for electric vehicles in Birmingham, England. Fewer than 10% of the U.K.’s 236,000 auto mechanics are qualified to work directly on EV batteries or their cases, according to the Institute of the Motor Industry.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 13, 2024
EVs head for junkyard as mechanic shortage inflates repair costs
High costs are prompting underwriters to total cars with relatively benign damage — prematurely consigning electric models to the junk heap.
A lone Tesla charges in the basement of a commercial property in Tokyo. One of Japan’s biggest obstacles to electric vehicles is subpar charging infrastructure.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 8, 2024
How three high-tech countries became laggards in electric vehicles
Japan's slow adoption traces back to a decade-old bet on hydrogen fuel-cell technology, while U.S. and South Korea have hit bottlenecks.
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, in October.
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Apr 6, 2024
Tesla's bet on robotaxis is a long way from paying off
A greater emphasis on robotaxis comes with more risk for Tesla due to the complexity of the technology involved, analysts said.
Drivers in California’s Marin County rely on a single hydrogen fueling station.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy
Apr 6, 2024
Few stations and $200 to fill up: Life on California’s ‘hydrogen highway’
Fuel shortages and soaring prices have stalled the adoption of hydrogen cars — but proponents aren’t throwing in the towel.
Nissan Motor will launch 30 new models over the next three years, including 16 electrified models.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 25, 2024
Nissan to launch 30 new models by 2027 and boost global sales volumes
Nissan was a pioneer in EVs but the carmaker has been eclipsed by the likes of U.S. rival Tesla and Chinese leader BYD.
Visitors view a BYD Dolphin EV car at the 44th Bangkok International Motor Show in Bangkok in 2023.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 25, 2024
Chinese EV makers to take center stage at Bangkok motor show
The popularity of Chinese EVs in Thailand underscores the growing challenge Japanese auto giants face in a vehicle market they have long dominated.
Earl Stewart, a Toyota dealer, says he was shocked when he first heard about Toyota’s strategy.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2024
Toyota’s hybrid-first strategy is delivering big profits
Toyota’s sales are booming, and the company is reporting huge profits.
A flying vehicle flies autonomously during a test flight conducted by Pasona on Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture, on Sunday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 11, 2024
Pasona conducts flying car test on Awaji Island
The major staffing service group aims to use the flying car as a tourist attraction and during disasters.
Nissan expects kei EV sales to expand, as kei cars are relatively inexpensive compared to regular cars and their size makes them suitable for short-distance trips.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 8, 2024
Nissan may bring ultra-compact EV production in-house from 2028, sources say
The automaker is considering moving production to its factory in Kyushu in the business year starting April 2028.
A Bigmotor outlet in Tama, Tokyo, in September
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 6, 2024
Itochu announces turnaround support for Bigmotor
Itochu is considering investing ¥20 billion in a new company to take over Bigmotor's key assets.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?