Tokyo

  • 2016 Toyota Mirai construction at Motomachi plant

    To increase the reach of its hybrid cars, Toyota launched the Prius C subcompact in 2012 as a smaller, less expensive alternative to the Prius Liftback that's the linchpin of its lineup. Now, Toyota says it may be planning to do something similar with its Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. The 2016 Toyota Mirai was launched last year in Japan, Europe, and North America. DON'T MISS: 2016 Toyota Mirai: First Drive Of Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Sedan (Dec 2014) Its initial sales have been modest, and it is sold only in areas where hydrogen-fueling infrastructure is up and running. But according to...

  • Toyota Mirai showroom and hydrogen fueling station, Tokyo, Japan, May 2015
    Tokyo's Toyota Mirai Dealer & Hydrogen Fueling Site: Photo Gallery

    The 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan will go on sale in limited regions of California later this year, but it's already available in Japan. On a recent trip to Japan, your correspondent had a chance to head to downtown Tokyo to take a look at the combination of a dedicated Mirai showroom...

  • Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk delivers first Tesla Model S electric cars in Tokyo, Sept 2014
    Tesla Sets Up Shop In Japan, Sells First Electric Cars

    While Tesla Motors now sells electric cars in North America, parts of Europe, and--perhaps most importantly--China, it continues to expand its sales footprint. The most recent addition is Japan, a notoriously closed market where only one of the three largest makers has any interest at all in...

  • Suzuki Wagon R, Japan's highest selling vehicle
    Half Of Japan Now Drives High MPG, Low Power Kei Minicars

    If there's one thing that illustrates the culture difference between the United States and Japan better than anything else, it's the cars everyone drives. In the U.S, the Ford F-Series truck has dominated the sales charts for quarter of a century. The smallest engine available is a 3.5-liter...

  • 2011 Nissan Leaf prototype
    Nissan Announce Leaf Pricing in E.U., Confirm Three More EVs

    Nissan Europe have announced the pricing structure for the European rollout of the 2011 Nissan Leaf. The Leaf car has received a huge number of  reservations in the U.S already and will be launched in Europe in three stages. Nissan plans to release just one model of the Leaf in Europe, as oppose...

  • Nissan electric taxi leaving Better Place battery switching station, Tokyo, April 2010
    Better Place Launches Battery-Swap Test In Four Tokyo Taxis

    This past Monday, the electric-vehicle infrastructure provider Better Place held a press conference in Tokyo at the site of its first completed battery-swap station to be put into regular usage, in the Ropongi Hills area. Together with Nihon Kotsu, Tokyo's largest taxi company, the company will...

  • 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

    It's a sad thing when an auto show loses its exhibitors, and this was a tough year for Tokyo. Foreign automakers shunned the show--unless you count England's Lotus--so the biannual event had pretty much only Japanese products on display. Despite the downsizing, green cars abounded, ranging from new production models like the 2012 Nissan Leaf electric car to concepts pointing the way toward even greener offerings for future hybrids and electric-drive vehicles. Here's the GreenCarReports.com rundown of everything worth noting from last week's press days at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Regular...

  • Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid
    Suzuki Swift Plug-In Hybrid Headed To Tokyo

      Suzuki says that their cars are as much fun as their bikes. Now they're trying to make one model just as fuel efficient. The Japanese automaker plans to unveil a plug-in hybrid version of the Swift hatchback at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Suzuki's subcompact already has a loyal following in...

  • 2007 Honda CR-Z Concept
    Honda's Next Two Hybrids Coming Next Year

    While the 2010 Honda Insight has gotten a lot of attention lately, it's far from Honda's only hybrid. Now the company has announced that it will put two more hybrid-electric vehicles on sale in Japan next year: the 2011 Honda CR-Z and the 2011 Honda Fit Hybrid. Honda had previously announced both...

  • Nissan EV-02 prototype at speed
    2012 Nissan EV Electric Car To Be Revealed August 2

    Just two days ago, we noted that Nissan was granted $1.6 billion of Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loans by the US Department of Energy. It plans to use the money to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee, assembly plant to build electric cars. Now we learn that the 2012 Nissan EV may be unveiled...

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