Japan’s carmakers are staging their first motor show in four years to make the case they’ll remain major global forces to be reckoned with in the electric-vehicle age.
The rebadged Japan Mobility Show will be counter-programming of sorts to worrisome trends: the host country may well lose its position as the world’s top car exporter to China, and third-largest economy to Germany this year. With their domestic market shrinking and parts of Europe and the US rapidly embracing EVs, Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and their peers are under escalating pressure to transition from internal combustion engines.
Honda Takes on Air, Sea and Space
Honda is showing an electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, an avatar robot as well as its HondaJet business plane at the show.
“My dream is to create a world where people can move freely on the ground, sea and air, as well as outer space, in vehicles bearing the Honda logo, CEO Toshihiro Mibe said during a presentation.
The Prelude appears to be making a comeback. The popular two-door sports car, which was retired in 2001, is now under development as an electric vehicle.
“Honda has been focusing on sports cars in all eras,” Mibe said. “This is something that only Honda can do.”
Subaru Has a Motorsports EV and Flying Car
Subaru unveiled a motorsports EV concept as well as a flying car it said has already taken to the skies in preliminary tests. The key is figuring out how people will adapt to them.
“We believe air mobility will become a useful means of transportation in the future, but for that we need customers to appreciate how it might fit into their lifestyles,” CEO Atsushi Osaki told reporters. “That will take time.”
Mercedes Hoping to Double Japan EV Sales in 2023
Mercedes-Benz Japan CEO Kintaro Ueno said he’s hopeful the company will double its EV sales in the country this year, having sold about 1,000 in 2021 and twice as many in 2022.
The German automaker, which launched revamped versions of its GLE SUVs last month, is considering installing fast chargers in Japan in 2024 to help drivers efficiently power their vehicles, Ueno said.