Mazda MX-5 Miata gets Black Tuned for Japan

Filed under: Convertible, Budget, Performance, Japan, Mazda, Design/Style

Even the plucky Mazda MX-5 isn’t safe from the temptation of a black edition. Mazda has just rolled out a Black Tuned Roadster in Japan, complete with a little more style than your run-of-the-mill convertible. The package is largely aesthetic thanks to the addition of a Brilliant Black [...]

South Korea slips past Japan for top spot in lithium-ion battery industry

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Japan

For the first time ever, South Korean manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries slipped past their Japanese counterparts to grab hold of the most substantial wedge of the li-ion segment. The shift took place in the April-June period, according to report by the Nikkei.
The Nikkei says Japan’s control over the global li-ion segment [...]

Japan pushing for 24.1% increase in fuel economy by 2020

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, Japan

2011 Nissan Micra / March – Click above for high-res image gallery

Japanese automakers will most likely need to boost their fleetwide fuel economy by 24.1 percent by 2020 to meet stringent standards being drawn up by the government, reports the Nikkei business daily.
This isn’t like the recent CAFE increase [...]

50.6% of households in Japan now own a small, frugal kei car

Filed under: MPG, Lightweight, Japan

Daihatsu e:S – Click above for high-res image gallery

For the first time since 1986, more than 50 percent of households in Japan own at least one kei-category vehicle. The Japan Mini Vehicles Association (JMVA) began tracking the mini vehicles back in 1986, and this is the highest level of ownership ever.
Despite [...]

Toyota Prius Alpha launches in Japan; delivery delays expected

Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota, Japan

Toyota has officially launched the Prius Alpha in Japan. Derived from the third-generation Prius hybrid, the Alpha offers seating for up to seven and is Toyota’s first mass-produced hybrid with an available lithium-ion battery pack. Concurrent with the launch, Toyota announced that delays in delivering the Prius Alpha, due to the [...]

Report: Chevy Volt transmission supply may be interrupted by Japan quake

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Japan

Chevrolet Volt transmission

Okay, let’s preface this post by stating what should be obvious by now: our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan. The toll on human life, which is of the utmost concern in this disaster, remains unknown. However, [...]

10,000 vending machine/plug-in vehicle charging stations coming to Japan by 2012

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Japan

Japan’s fascination with vending machines is likely unmatched. As of 2008, 5.5 million vending machines were installed across the island nation and those machines, unlike the ones here in the U.S., don’t merely dispense candy bars and soda pop. Some of Japan’s vending machines sell exotic items like live crabs and heads [...]

Toyota plant in Japan designed to cut energy demands

Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Toyota, Japan

The Yen is soaring, and that means it’s costing Japanese manufacturers a lot of money to sell goods here in the United States. Some are moving areas of production to other countries, yet Toyota has decided to open its first new Japanese manufacturing facility in nearly 20 years.
Toyota’s newest plant is [...]

Japan unwraps chocolate Smart ForTwo for Valentine’s Day

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Videos, Hatchback, Smart, Design/Style, Luxury

Chocolate Smart ForTwo by Q-Pot – Click above to watch the video after the jump

In Japan, Christmas Eve is a romantic holiday during which couples eat special cakes. So what’s Valentine’s Day, then? An occasion for women to buy men chocolate, of course. Or chocolate cars, as [...]

Nissan Leaf deliveries crawling along in Japan

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Nissan, Japan

Nissan delivered its first Leaf to a U.S. customer back on December 11th of 2010. By the end of last year, the Japanese automaker had reportedly handed off the keys to 19 Leaf buyers in the States. While there’s been some talk of Nissan delaying deliveries of its electric hatch here [...]

Next Page »