Japanese Car Manufacturers Showcase Electric Cars at Japan Mobility Show

The Japan Mobility Show, the rebranded successor to the Tokyo Motor Show, is set to kick off on Thursday with the aim of attracting 1 million visitors.

Credits: Bloomberg

The event serves as a platform for domestic carmakers, including Toyota, Nissan and Honda, to demonstrate their commitment to carbon neutrality and the transformation of transportation.

Traditionally, Japanese automakers have faced criticism for their reluctance to phase out petrol-powered cars. However, at this year's show, they plan to showcase a range of electric vehicle (EV) concepts to signal their readiness to embrace battery-powered vehicles on Japanese roads in the future.

In Japan, battery-electric vehicles accounted for only 1.5% of new-car sales in 2022, lagging behind other wealthy countries. In contrast, China, which recently became the world's top car exporter, saw nearly one in five new cars sold being battery-electric. This disparity highlights the need for Japanese carmakers to accelerate their transition to EVs.

The Japan Mobility Show will feature Toyota's luxury brand Lexus, which will unveil a lineup of battery-electric concept cars as part of the company's electrification strategy. Nissan will showcase four EV concepts with unique and futuristic designs, while Honda, Subaru and Suzuki will also present their electric sports car and mini electric wagon concepts.

Although the show boasts participation from nearly 500 companies, only three foreign carmakers, including China's BYD, Mercedes-Benz Group and BMW, will be present.

The slow adoption of EVs in Japan extends to non-Japanese brands as well, with early sales of fully electric cars from Mercedes-Benz, BYD and Hyundai Motor being sluggish.

Japanese carmakers have made commitments to increase EV production and reduce emissions, but they have yet to introduce high-volume models that can compete with companies like BYD and Tesla. It is expected that these mass-market EVs will not hit the market until at least 2025.

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• The Japan Mobility Show, successor to the Tokyo Motor Show, aims to attract 1 million visitors.

• Japanese carmakers, including Toyota, Nissan and Honda, will showcase electric vehicle concepts.

• Battery-electric vehicles accounted for only 1.5% of new-car sales in Japan in 2022.

Source: SCMP