Raw Japan
Slices of Japanese business, politics and life
Electric dreams
The Tokyo Motor Show later this month is expected to be a very understated event, with foreign carmaker participation almost nil and outlays by Japanese firms reflecting hard times in the industry.
But Electric Vehicles, or EVs, and hybrids will be on display in force, with Toyota, Honda and Nissan giving previews ahead of the late October show.
from Summit Notebook:
Gassing about electric cars
Would you buy a car that only goes 100 miles (160 km) on a tank of fuel?
That's the range of Nissan's 5-seater electric car planned for sale in the U.S. and Japan in 2010 -- a similar size to Nissan's Primera or VW's Golf.
A full tank in a petrol-driven car will take you around twice that distance so the new technology that Nissan hopes will leapfrog current hybrids won't be for those who disappear up the mountains each weekend.
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Resident Raw Japan Expert
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