TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: The locals carry enormous clout, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring editor, from the Tokyo motor show
WHILE THE global recession took its toll on the number of exhibitors at this month’s Tokyo motor show, there was another story to tell beside the gloom and doom apparent from the extra wide pathways and missing brands. The race to zero emission vehicles has well and truly begun.
The biennial Tokyo motor show normally plays host to the wackier side of car development, but somehow amid the turmoil in the industry at present, the fleet of electric cars on show seemed far more realistic than before.
Clearly the search is on for a replacement to the fossil-fuelled internal combustion engine and for the short-term at least, the odds-on favourite seems to be the electric motor powered with a lithium-ion battery.
For all the usual glitz and fancy metal that surrounds modern motor shows, there was no escaping the obvious impact of the global recession. Virtually every non-Japanese mainstream brand had withdrawn from this year’s event in an effort to save costs. The saving grace for the show is that despite the absence of many foreign brands, the locals still carry enormous clout on the international stage. Whatever the future may hold for the industry – electric power, biofuel or hydrogen – brands such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan will need to be part of the process if any new technology is going to become mainstream. For now it seems the focus is very much electric.
TOYOTA’S NEW CELICA
Toyota’s recently appointed chief executive Akio Toyoda – a scion of the founding family – has made frequent references of the need to put some excitement back into the brand’s cars. This, perhaps, is the first indication of a response to his plea – the most exciting piece of metal at the show for those not swooning at the thought of plug-in city cars taking over our roads.
Developed with Subaru, the FT-86 concept is in reality the next generation Celica, due for sale by 2011. A proper rear-wheel-drive sports car, chief engineer Tetsuya Tada told us it has simply fantastic under rear tail drifting. Given the popularity of drift racing in Japan, one can see why a sideways sliding Celica is such a tempting proposition for Toyota.
The Celica will be powered by a newly developed low-set 200bhp two-litre horizontally-mounted “boxer” engine from Subaru. The production version of the FT-86 will also be produced by Subaru in Japan for both brands. The Subaru version is likely to be developed under its STi division and will be all-wheel-drive.
ELECTRIC IQ (BY 2012)
Shown as the FT-EVII, this is a futuristic concept city car, complete with control levers instead of a steering wheel and pedals. But don’t be fooled: this car heralds the introduction of an electric version of Toyota’s recently launched IQ city car in just over two years’ time, initially in the US market. The concept car on show ran on lithium-ion batteries that were stored under the floor and had a range of 50km before the batteries ran out. When it enters production we can expect a more conventional steering wheel and pedals along with a battery range of up to 90km and a top speed of just over 100km/h.
Given that it doesn’t require an engine up front, the car is shorter than the regular IQ, allowing the extra space to be designated to more legroom for rear seat passengers. Toyota has confirmed it will bring the regular IQ city car range to the US market next year, preparing the way for this electric version two years later.
Meanwhile, it has confirmed it is working on a new entry-level version of its IQ, due for launch in Europe early next year. It will feature steel wheels and several cost-cutting plastic interior trim finishes that could bring the price in Ireland down by several hundred euro if the car is introduced here.
HONDA’S HEDGING ITS BETS
Honda is hedging its bets a little over the future fuel source. While it’s eager to highlight its involvement in hybrid technology for many years with its Insight model and its upcoming CR-Z coupé, a lovely looking coupé that has featured at several shows already and will go on sale next year. In addition, Honda also showcased a people carrier hybrid concept, the Skydeck. Unlikely to go into production, it does point to the future design direction for potential people carriers from the brand.
In the meantime it’s also eager to promote its hydrogren fuel-cell model the Clarity FCX. Honda remains convinced that hydrogen fuel converted into electricity in fuel cells and with water as the only by-product is the long-term solution to our fossil fuel dependency. There still remain major stumbling blocks to its development, primarily cost and supply, but it’s far too early to say Honda is backing the wrong horse with hydrogen.
NISSAN’S BATTERY SOLUTION AND NEW MICRA FOR 2010
The biggest news from Nissan at the Tokyo motor show was its reiteration that it will introduce the Leaf plug-in electric car as an affordable production car by 2011 in Europe. Aside from this, chief executive Carlos Ghosn announced a deal with Japanese firm Sumitomo Corporation as part of its efforts to overcome the high cost of the lithium-ion batteries that will power future electric cars.
Under the agreement the cars will be sold outright but the batteries will be leased. When the car has served its useful life, these batteries will still have 70 per cent of their charge left and can be used as storage devices for household electricity or as backup power sources.
Meanwhile, Nissan also revealed some details of its new Micra, due for launch in Asian markets next March. As it’s a global car for the brand, it will reach our shores in the following months. The new car bears a striking resemblance to the previous Micra. It is expected it will be powered by a lighter three-cylinder engine and a new CVT automatic transmission will be offered.
MAZDA’S SKYWARD VISION
One of the few firms to concentrate their efforts on improving the internal combustion engine was Mazda, which launched a new range of petrol and diesel powertrains with claims of economy improvements across its entire range of 30 per cent by 2013. Most of this is down to a combination of features, ranging from improved valve fuel delivery systems to a new range of dual-clutch transmissions and stop-start technology. Now that it’s no longer part of the Ford family of brands, budgets for concept cars and wild forays into expensive fuel cell or battery technology are clearly not viable, but the developments on show demonstrate a gallant effort at improving its offerings by calling on brainpower instead of budgets.
SUZUKI PLUGS IN
Joining the rest of the exhibitors, Suzuki showed off a plug-in hybrid of its Swift supermini, promising drivers the chance to travel up to 20kms on battery-electric power before a small 660cc engine kicks in to recharge the battery. It can then be plugged into the domestic mains system overnight.