MOBILITY SHOW: Japanese manufacturers flex their next-gen electric car muscles

By Motoring Reporter

As expected electric vehicles dominate the 2023 Japan Mobility Show or the Tokyo Motor Show as it was previously known which runs until Sunday, November 5.

Typically focused on the domestic market the biennial Tokyo Motor Show was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making 2019 the last official running of the event.

Now it’s 2023, and much has changed in the automotive world over the last four years, the vibe, however, is much the same as it’s always been.

The JMS is a chance for Japanese automakers to shine in their home market, and as such, there is a plethora of concept vehicles covering most every automotive genre from exciting reinvigorations of iconic sports car names to mass-market EVs and motorised wheelchairs – there was even an electric LandCruiser.  Among other things, the show also features motorcycles and other forms of transportation beyond autos.

Lets look at some of the glittering reveals at the show:

TOYOTA:

The Toyota stand was dominated by EV concepts with the FT-Se GR sports car and FT-3e SUV front and centre.

Along with the quirky Kayoibako (which means shipping container in Japanese), they share Toyota’s new generation slimline battery (set for production in 2025) and all-new modular platform.

The FT-Se isn’t an MR2, Celica, or Supra continuation but an electric sports car all of its own with sub-1500kg weight and 400km driving range targets.

The clean-sheet coupe (with no ties to prior nameplates, according to lead designer Hideaki Iida) celebrates cabin space and vision. The FT-3e uses the same battery technology and platform and looks to be a next-gen replacement for the existing BZ4x medium SUV.

An electric LandCruiser SE and EPU ute were tucked around the corner and there was also another utility vehicle, the IMV0 – this near-production modular ladder-frame vehicle targets emerging markets.

Besides EVs, Toyota had a diverse powertrain strategy on show with plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell crown models, a hand-steer Prado, and a hybrid Century SUV.

Lexus

The all-electric BMW i3 hasn’t even launched yet but it’s already got a Lexus rival.

The LF-ZC is a medium sedan that promises up to 1000km driving range from new-gen lithium-ion batteries. A production version will launch in 2026 and become the first from the Toyota/Lexus vehicle on the new family architecture.

It’ll be followed by the brand’s new flagship model, the LF-ZL, a 5.3-metre long lifted fastback sedan. Lexus promises the same underpinnings but with a more sophisticated version of the brand’s ‘Arene’ operating system with AI learning and myriad sensors that are said to be able to detect who’s onboard and what the conditions are like using digital ‘smell’ and seamlessly adjusting interior functions to enhance comfort.

Mitsubishi

A small but mighty showing, the wild D:X off-road van concept previews the sixth-generation Delica and it’s closer to reality than you might expect.

It features a development of the Outlander’s plug-in hybrid powertrain that ups the e-motor count from two to three for precise rear-wheel torque vectoring. Individual brake control, active suspension with 100mm of movement, and a spacious cabin with full-height doors were highlights.

Nissan

Nissan’s stand was the most conceptually clear at the show with four out-there Hyper models previewing the brand’s four pillars of expansion.

The Hyper Force caught our eye, essentially an R36 GT-R concept, it boasts 1000kW and all-wheel drive with solid-state batteries.

Aside from the obvious out-there bodywork, there are subtle touches, such as the circular rear lights that nod to the R32 and pixelated GT-R front emblem.

The Tourer is a futuristic electric take on the Elgrand people mover with a spacious cabin, while the all-wheel drive Adventure potentially previews the Patrol’s very distant future, and the Urban represents the design direction of Nissan’s next-gen Juke and Qashqai.

 All vehicles offer vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid charging, but there were no other details divulged.

Subaru

The vigour of Subaru’s new product presentation was unmatched. A thunderous drum-and-bass track (beneath a five-rotor flying machine) accompanied the unveiling of the Sport Mobility concept, a two-door four-wheel drive electric sports car that sits somewhere between a WRX coupe and SVX.

MOTORING:

Briefs

UAW STRIKE LATEST

General Motors has reportedly come to a tentative agreement to end the six-week-old strike by the United Auto Workers. Stellantis previously reached an agreement with the UAW on October 28, and Ford came to terms on October 25. Bloomberg News and other outlets are reporting that GM has agreed to a 25 percent raise for hourly workers, better job security, and other terms demanded by the union.

GRINDING NOISES FROM JLR PARTS

The owner of a Range Rover Evoque has accused JLR of repairing her vehicle using second-hand parts, as the company struggles to source new, replacement components for thousands of its customers’ cars.

As first reported by Car Dealer, a trade publication, around 10,000 customer cars across the UK are awaiting replacement parts, with around 5000 of them off the road at JLR dealerships.

The crisis, which originated at the firm’s newest parts facility, Mercia Park, was revealed by Andrew Woolliscroft, UK client director at JLR, during a dealer summit in October.

“Mercia is a bottleneck and we have a backlog of orders,” said Woolliscroft. The shortage of parts had “nearly stopped workshops from being able to operate,” he added.

He said the company had run out of courtesy vehicles as well as the space required to store customers’ cars for repair and predicted the crisis would last until the end of November.

BUILD YOUR DREAMS IN THE E CAPE

History will soon be made in the Eastern Cape when the first all-electric vehicle brand launches in the province. The introduction of Chinese automaker BYD (Build Your Dreams) on December 1 marks another milestone in South Africa’s transition to EVs, with the Eastern Cape becoming the third province to offer the new energy vehicles after Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

BYD is the world’s leading manufacturer of EVs, surpassing one-million sales last year. It enjoys a presence in 70 countries and 400 cities globally. These vehicles will be sold by the Kelston Motor Group, starting at premises off Buffelsfontein Road in Gqeberha before branching out to other parts of the province.

MOILA IS THE MAN

 Josias Moila has received the title of Driver of The Year at the 11th annual Shoprite Truck Driver of the Year competition, beating out more than 1,400 colleagues from around South Africa and surrounding African countries. With over 23 000 rolling wheels covering more than 100 million kms annually, the Shoprite Group has one of the largest private fleets in South Africa. 

The Truck Driver of the Year competition serves as a platform to celebrate and acknowledge the remarkable skills and dedication of truck drivers operating within this vast network.

The top 13 drivers that emerged from the regional competitions throughout the year from across South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Botswana, battled it out in the final across three categories, including a written exam, a yard challenge, and a road test that was judged by the National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA).

Moila, from Centurion in Gauteng, emerged victorious proving his exceptional skills, dedication and professionalism as a code 14 truck driver, having started his career at the company on a learnership programme in 2015.

ONE MORE THING….

 A UK police force has issued an urgent warning to drivers of a popular hatchback – with one stolen every six hours in a UK region.

Essex Police revealed that 100 Ford Fiestas have been stolen in the county over the last month alone.

The force recommended gadgets like steering wheel and handbrake locks to deter criminals. The sharp rise in thefts is believed to have been at least partially sparked by Ford’s decision to discontinue the Fiesta last year.

Since no new examples are rolling off production lines, demand for parts to keep existing cars on the road has grown.-The Sun UK