Suzuki Concepts at Tokyo Motor Show 2011

At the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show which will be held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center from 2 to 11 December 2011, the Suzuki booth will feature the company’s new automobile concepts which have been designed with a focus on meeting the needs of contemporary customers and offering them new kinds of value.

In tune with Suzuki’s expertise in small cars, the exhibits at the company’s booth will have “small cars for a big future” as the theme.  Suzuki cars for today and the future will emphasize the user-friendliness, fuel economy, innovation, superior performance, and the exciting styling that will be possible within more compact and smaller dimensions.

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Suzuki will be unveiling three exciting new concepts.

The Regina: The first one, the Regina is a compact car and is Suzuki’s idea of a next generation, super efficient global compact car. It is a lightweight car that weighs just 730kg and has a drag coefficient that is at least 10% lower than that of other contemporary models. Its fuel economy will be at least 32km/L and it has CO2 emissions that are as low as 70g/km.

The Regina is 11.6 feet in length, 5.3 feet in width, and has an overall height of only 4.7 feet. It has a normal gasoline engine and can seat four passengers.

The Q Concept: This is an interesting, highly stylized two-seat microcar with an overall length of 2.5 meters and two seats in a tandem configuration, making it perfect for daily driving within a radius of around 10km and short journeys in crowded towns and cities. It is an electric car that is midway between a motorcycle and a small car. In fact, it is the closest a car could get to a motorcycle. The Q Concept has the same maneuverability as a motorcycle, but has a proper cabin and has four wheels. It is best suited for those people for whom schools, offices, hospitals, shopping malls and other facilities are close to their house. And not only is it more maneuverable than most other small cars, it also needs much less parking space. Read more »

Conversion Kits to Electrify your Truck

With the rising fuel costs many of us are opting for electric and hybrid vehicles.  We can see many electric cars in the market, however the technology is little lagging for electric trucks.  There are various reasons why you’d go for electrifying trucks and commercial vehicles – for example, the trucks can be used as a widespread power network in emergencies. Now the good news is that you can electrify your existing conventional truck, using a conversion kit that would be made available soon in Japan by Tokyo R&D and Itochu Corporation.

Nissan develops 10 minute charger for Leaf Electric Car

As everyone knows, the biggest hassle with electric cars is the inordinately long time needed for charging their batteries.  Imagine what a big problem it would be if you suddenly have to rush to the hospital and your car battery is on a low charge.

Currently, it takes around eight long hours to fully charge an EV’s battery. But now we have some good news from Nissan. The automaker says that in collaboration with Japan’s Kansai University, it has developed the necessary technology for charging the batteries that power electric vehicles such as the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Nissan Leaf in just ten minutes.  That too, the charging can be completed without there being any adverse effect on the voltage or the battery storage capacity.  This latest development could make a huge difference to the way electric cars are viewed by people and enhance their acceptance.  Nissan and Kansai University announced that they had been working on creating this new technology for quite some time now.

It was high time something like a ten-minute charger was developed for EVs.  Last year, Pike Research had warned that car makers could face repulsion from consumers because of the extraordinarily long time it takes to recharge an electric car.  The research company said that some consumers would probably feel they have paid too much for their charging equipment and their EV.

The technology breakthrough involves a change in the electrode material used.  The carbon electrode used inside the capacitor is replaced by one made from vanadium oxide and tungsten oxide for boosting power.  Nissan said the new charger model is almost half the size of earlier models of chargers and that this new one would be able to charge electric vehicles manufactured by different auto companies.  Also, the ten-minute charger uses a new compact charge station with less than half the price of the earlier quick charger.  However, with the price still being around US $13,000, it is currently more suited for use in institutions, parking lots, gas stations, and similar places.

Considering that advanced materials and processes are used in the revolutionary new charger, it is obvious that it won’t be readily available in the market so soon.  Secondly, at present there are not enough electric vehicles on the road to speed up the availability, or make this a priority. Nonetheless, Nissan will be continuing with the theoretical work so that by the time there is a larger demand for the quick charger they will have the product ready.

When will Nissan’s 10 minute Electric Car Charger be available?

Unfortunately, according to experts and reliable sources, it would take at least a decade for Nissan to be in a position to commercialize this technology.  But once it is introduced in the market, the electric car industry will certainly take off in a big way.

So we will have to be patient. The good thing is that though it may take some time before charging an electric vehicle becomes as fast and easy as refueling a car at a pump, the day will surely come when this will be possible.

Following the earthquake and tsunami that had struck Japan on 11 March last year, carmakers in Japan and other parts of the world thought they would have to cope with parts shortages till at least the end of this year. Their fears were justified for many of Japan’s major component manufacturers were based in the heavily devastated north-east regions of the country and were destroyed. But carmakers had underestimated the determination of the people and auto companies of Japan.

Barely six months after the disaster, Japan’s leading automotive groups were exhibiting their latest car models at the motor show at Frankfurt as if nothing catastrophic had happened in Japan.

Didier Leroy, chief executive of Toyota Motor Europe has declared that his company’s
European operations as well as manufacturing activities in Japan had returned to normal levels in June. Nissan and Honda too have made quick recoveries. David Hodgetts, UK managing director of Honda says his factory at Swindon in the UK is once again “up and running”, adding that their four or five day work shifts will soon move on to six days a week.

With the Fukushima nuclear power plant being destroyed, Japanese carmakers also had to come up with ways to contend with severe electricity shortages. For instance, Toyota moved its weekend holidays to Thursday and Friday in the months of July, August and September, so that its factories could continue with manufacturing activities on Saturdays and Sundays when there was less demand for power. Since they were not using their full production capacity in their facilities outside Japan, Toyota also shifted some of the production to its factories in other countries.

This year, Toyota expects to make and sell more cars than last year. Toyota’s Mr. Leroy said his company had sold 808,000 cars in Europe last year. But this year, in spite of the disaster and difficult economical conditions, Toyota expects to sell around 830,000 units. Andy Palmer, executive vice-president, Nissan Motor Company declared that Nissan expects production to increase from 4.2 million last year to around 4.6 million this year, despite the earthquake. Mr. Palmer said that though his company normally competed with its competitors Toyota and Honda, in times of crisis, they all cooperated with each other so that their component suppliers recovered as quickly as possible.

In the US and Canada too, Toyota has made a complete recovery and will soon achieve 100 % production of its Tacoma, RAV4, Tundra, and Lexus RX 350 models. Production of eight other auto models sold in the United States, such as Avalon, Corolla, Camry, Matrix, Sienna, Highlander, Venza, and Sequoia is also on in full swing. Earnings of American auto workers are on the rise as Toyota escalates assembly and production of its vehicles.

Besides, Toyota also recently announced that its plant at Huntsville began production of 4-cylinder engines last month for the Highlander, Camry, RAV4, Sienna, and Venza, and. that production of the Corolla will begin as scheduled this month in Mississippi at Toyota’s 14th North American plant where it is still hiring workers.

Review of 2012 Honda Civic

The recently launched all-new, re-designed Honda Civic 2012 though more or less similar in shape to the earlier one, has subtle changes such as sculpted bumpers, a longer hood, and bigger tail lights, all of which give it a more conventional look. But best of all, it has better fuel economy thanks to different weight reducing measures and aerodynamic designing. Honda maintains that the new Civic has a reduced coefficient of drag mainly due to the styling modifications, a flat underbody, and a smaller grille opening.

The Honda Civic 2012 comes in both sedan and coupe styles and comprises five variants –Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe; Civic Si Sedan and Civic Si Coupe; Civic HF; Civic  Hybrid; and the soon to be released Civic GX which will be a Natural Gas Vehicle. The cars will be available in DX, LX, EX, and EX-L trim levels.

Honda has made some structural changes in the Civic 2012. The front A-pillars have been moved forward while the rear C-pillars have been moved backwards. The new Civic is a little more spacious. The interior passenger volume is increased to a maximum of 94.7 cubic feet, with more room in the shoulder, front and the rear hip, and the boot is also bigger. However, the earlier two-tiered instrument panel has been retained with the digital speedometer placed above the analog tachometer. Another feature that has also been retained is the five-speed automatic transmission. All variants have electronic power steering and also a better vehicle stability system that includes electronic brake distribution, anti-lock brakes, and brake assist. Where safety is concerned, the 2012 Civic has six airbags which include the front pair, the front-seat-mounted side-impact bags and the side curtain airbags. The seats have front-active headrests that move forward in the event of rear-end collisions.

Except for the Civic Si and the Civic hybrid, all the new Civic sedans and coupes have a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. The engine’s i-VTEC valve control system delivers the performance of a larger engine while at the same time offering the fuel economy of a smaller engine.

Honda’s performance oriented sport compacts, the Civic Si coupe and sedan, both feature a 2.4-L engine producing 200 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, and have a sport-tuned suspension. The engine is connected to a new six-speed manual transmission, enabling the Si to give 22 mpg on city roads and 31 mpg on highways. Read more »

Toyota unveils new car models at Frankfurt Motor Show 2011

The Frankfurt motor show 2011 truly belonged to Toyota, with Toyota introducing one car model after another.  The motor show clearly belonged to the Prius cars as their hybrid models stole the show.  The new model of Avensis was also introduced.  The new model of Prius 2012 displayed some remarkable features.  It looked as if the new Prius model has definitely received a facelift.

A few minor, yet classic changes were clearly visible in the interior and exterior of the new Prius model.  The front bumper adorned a new changed look and the lower grille has been enlarged.  The headlamps look majestic sporting clear and new lens.  The configuration of lamps is based on the updated and new LED technology.  In order to facilitate daytime visibility, the bumper has also been fitted with daytime lamps.  The mirrors on the door have a power folding facility and the elegant taillight have undergone a huge transformation.  The wheels of the new hybrid models are made up of fresh alloy.

New Toyota Prius Models at Frankfurt Motor Show 2011

The new Prius model now displays a dazzling interior with an attractive color combined with other great facilities.  The interior of the car now sports a new rich black color compared to the dark grey in previous models.  The interior of the car is also adorned with attractive upholsteries and graceful silver inserts.  The color of the button which is used to start the car has also been changed to blue.  The design of the center console has also been greatly revised.  There is a marked change in the information display which now will project information in a three dimensional way.

At the Frankfurt show, the Prius Plug in Hybrid and Prius V were also displayed by Toyota.  The Plug in Hybrid model is accompanied with state of the art features and one of the best hybrid models based on Synergy Drive phenomenon.  Read more »

Honda to target small car market in Japan and worldwide

Takanobu Ito, Chief Executive Honda Motor Co. Ltd.  recently announced Honda’s plans to increase the proportion of its very small cars, called kei cars, in the company’s total output from 25% to 40% within the next five years.  Honda also wants to leverage its expertise in building small cars in Japan to build similar light cars in European countries and emerging markets.

Honda believes that the small car business would guarantee Honda’s future growth.  That is, the company would be able to maintain its business in Japan, while at the same time ensure its future success in the global market too.  However, Honda will focus on developing its kei car business in Japan first, while also making efforts to boost sales of bigger car models such as the Civic and Jazz in overseas markets before moving on to its kei cars there maybe within 10 years.

At present, sales of small cars having small engines that are sized 660 cc or less and get special tax benefits in Japan, comprise a little below 40 % of Honda’s domestic market. The kei car owners are currently eligible for availing of different types of benefits such as discounts on insurance, car tax, and parking fees.  Honda expects to increase the sales of its kei cars to 45 % within the next 10 years.

As a direct consequence of regulatory pressures on manufacturers to build cleaner cars and the introduction of new tax incentives for inducing more consumers to buy them, very small cars, often referred to as the “A” segment, played a prominent role in this year’s Frankfurt auto show.  Germany’s Volkswagen had unveiled its very small city car, the Up! from which it has plans for building a new line of models.

Compared to VW’s small cars presented at the Frankfurt auto show, most of the kei cars on Japanese roads are much smaller. Honda would be studying how small cars are used in countries overseas. For instance, Honda might increase its kei cars’ length for foreign markets, for factors like the physical size of passengers differs from country to country.  Also, for European countries where people drive at high speeds on highways, Honda might need to modify the 660 cc size of small car engines.

If Honda masters the technology of developing kei cars in its home country Japan, then when it enters into the ‘A’ category market in Europe Read more »

Honda, Toyota offer big incentives to boost sales

The earthquake that struck Japan in March put the car industry in plenty of problems resulting in loss of production and low sales. After months of uncertainties and despair, the leading car makers of Japan are gearing up in a big way to account for all the losses incurred. Industry experts feel that a battle is on the cards between the best car makers of Japan in order to achieve maximum sales. Plenty of plans and strategies are being charted out to woo the consumers. The consumers are also not complaining as they have plenty to look forward to now. With the economy not doing well, the consumers had shied away from the showrooms.

Industry sources have revealed that plenty of incentives are going to be given by car makers, as the production of cars has also picked up. The buyers are in for a shopping feast as they would have a larger say in buying. Honda and Toyota are leading in offering incentives to customers. This also makes great sense as Honda and Toyota were the hardest hit and these two car makers had suffered huge production losses. The market share of Toyota in the United States has gone down by a good three percent.

The supply of inventories for manufacturing new cars is steadily increasing with Honda and Toyota gaining the most. Toyota is going all out to increase its car output for catering to the needs of domestic market. Toyota is also mobilizing its operations at its plants all over North America to increase the output of cars at these units. This is seen as a positive move as the majority of car dealers were left idle without any branded new cars. The North American car production of Honda is in full swing and back to its original full capacity. Honda has also increased its production of cars in Japan to 95% of its original capacity.

The year 2011 has been bad for both Honda and Toyota with both suffering huge losses. This can be attributed to lack of supply of spare parts and accessories required for manufacturing new cars. Honda witnessed car sales dip by as much as 28%. The car sales of Toyota went down by 23%. Other leading car makers of Japan also incurred significant losses with Subaru losing 9% of its car sales in the month of July.

At the same time, Korean and American car makers increased their market share by manufacturing new cars. General Motors increased its share by 8%, Chrysler increased its sales by a good 20% during the month of July and Ford also gained around 13%. The Korean and American car makers largely gained because sufficient Japanese cars were not hitting the market. The dealerships of Honda and Toyota are upbeat and optimistic.

In order to increase the consumer and dealer confidence, Toyota is planning to introduce the next model of Camry Sedan in the mid size range. The Camry Sedan has been Japans number one selling car for a record thirteen years out of the last 14 years. The good news is that prices were slashed by a good $2000 compared to the last model.

Not to be left behind, the car dealers are also offering huge incentives, primarily due to the confidence shown by Honda and Toyota. All the positive steps taken both by the dealers and leading car makers should definitely bring back the eager consumers back to the car showrooms. Definitely, this is a great time for the consumers to buy new cars with plenty of discounts and incentives being offered.