Hans Greimel Asia Editor, based in Tokyo, overseeing coverage from Japan, China and South Korea for Automotive News [email protected] 81-3-3828-9060 See All Staff Page Recent Stories Panasonic eyes 3rd North American EV battery plant Panasonic said it will announce the site of a new North American battery production site by March 2024. Toyota, Daimler to merge truck brands Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso Japanese truck makers Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus plan to collaborate on commercial vehicle development, procurement and production to form a "globally competitive" manufacturer. Toyota ‘investing like crazy' in new EV batteries but no big sea change expected Toyota's top scientist expects lithium ion battery chemistry to be the mainstay for another 10 to 20 years, even as the automaker invests ‘like crazy' in breakthrough technologies. Japan Mobility Show pitched as ‘Davos of Mobility' in Tokyo Japan's auto industry wants the rebranded Japan Mobility Show to be a who's who meetup of business leaders from the traditional automotive industry and whiz kids from innovative startups in artificial intelligence, software and renewable energy. Honda joins Toyota's hydrogen engine push Honda and Suzuki are joining hands with Kawasaki and Yamaha to develop hydrogen combustion engines for minicars, motorcycles, boats, drones and more. Mazda races to feed U.S. demand for CX-90 amid looming shipping shortage A global shipping shortage is causing Mazda to scramble to secure enough sea transport to feed soaring U.S. demand for its vehicles, especially crossovers such as the new CX-90. Nissan sees North America leading global sales surge after profits rise 52% Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida forecasts a robust rebound in global sales, as Nissan reports a 52 percent increase in operating profit in the just-ended fiscal year. Subaru plans 4 crossover EVs, 400,000 output in dramatic ramp-up Subaru plans a four EV lineup by the end of 2026 and will add capacity to build 400,000 full-electric cars in Japan starting around 2028. Operating profits nearly tripled in the company’s fiscal year ended March 31. Toyota to show next-gen EV at Japan mobility show in fall Toyota will show a concept of its next-generation electric car, which previews a completely reinvented and innovative car that the automaker hopes will catapult it to the head of the global EV race. Toyota forecasts record production, sales and profit this FY Toyota’s outlook, outlined as CEO Koji Sato announced quarterly financial results, underscores its financial strength even as it races to play catch up on EVs and cope with an influx of aggressive new rivals from the likes of Silicon Valley and China. Rebounding Mitsubishi expects North American profitability to surge Rebounding Mitsubishi Motors expects North America to emerge as the Japanese carmaker's top profit center and second-biggest global market in the current fiscal year as it reins in incentive spending and gets traction from the Outlander plug-in hybrid crossover. Column: In Japan, masks and EVs are sad symbols of resistance to change In Japan, COVID masks and electric vehicles have more in common than meets the eye. Both are sad symbols of the country's resistance to change. The world auto industry is attacking carbon emissions as a shared goal Automotive News takes a deep dive into how the audacious gambit is affecting everything from technology, production, labor and trade to the industry's rapidly changing competitive landscape. Japan carmakers, from Toyota to Nissan and Honda, are attacking carbon by any means necessary The quest by Japanese automakers to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 encompasses carbon-cutting car technologies, the rapid rollout of recharging stations and plans to recycle virtually every bit of a vehicle. Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe outlines multistep plan to jump ahead in EVs Honda's radical revamp will move into high gear from 2025 and hinges on new models, better batteries, powerful software and a transformed driver interface, along with dedicated EV factories and overhauled production. Load More
Hans Greimel Asia Editor, based in Tokyo, overseeing coverage from Japan, China and South Korea for Automotive News [email protected] 81-3-3828-9060 See All Staff Page