Like many other automakers in Europe, Nissan has created a special marketing badge to identify the least polluting vehicles across its range which will be used both in Europe and Japan. The chosen name is Pure Drive, which I think is one of the least imaginative on the market. Sibling company Renault's ECO² label is more fun, as is its TV spot. As we have mentioned here, the "green label" is usually applied to a company's least powerful models that also have higher gear ratios, low-rolling resistance tires and some aerodynamic work. As for Nissan, the label is applied to those vehicles which emit less than 140 g/km of CO₂. The new Pixo, the 1.2-liter gas and 1.5-liter diesel Micra and Note, the 1.5-liter diesel Qashqai, Qashquai+2 and Tiida (the Versa) now all come in Pure Drive versions.

[Source: Nissan]

Mazda has just launched it's latest "Kei-class" car in Japan with the redesigned AZ-Wagon. The "Kei" cars are built to specifications defined by law in Japan that place limits on size engine displacement and power. Kei cars are limited to 660 cc of engine displacement and 63 hp along with a maximum length of 3.4 m. The new AZ-Wagon is claimed to beat current Japanese emissions standards by 50-75 percent. All of the engines get variable valve timing and normally aspirated versions with a manual transmission are rated at 55.3 mpg (U.S.) on the Japanese urban test cycle. There are three transmission choices, a 5 speed manual, 4 speed automatic or a CVT. Amazingly for this tiny car, it can also be had with either front wheel drive or all wheel drive. None of these Kei cars are designed to meet U.S. crash safety standards so they aren't likely to appear here anytime soon with one distinct exception, the Mitsubishi iMiEV electric car. The i that it's based on is also a Kei car. The AZ-Wagon is priced from $8,600 to $13,800 and the press release is after the jump.

[Source: Mazda]

We last heard from the all-electric K.08 from Ken Okuyama Cars at the Geneva Motor Show but as the months slipped by we started to wonder whether the car was still a go. Finally, news has started to trickle in. First, we learned that Ken Okuyama Design had hired long-time Chrysler designer Michael Castiglione, who penned the Dodge Challenger Concept, to do some work on future cars and furniture. Now we've learned that Okuyama-san held a press conference in a Tokyo parking garage yesterday where he was accompanied by the gas-powered and topless K.07 as well as the K.08. The talk centered mostly around the K.07 which has buyers for the entire 2008 output of 24 vehicles. The queue for the 99 units to be built next year will officially start forming on the 1st of November. As for the K.08, the prototype at the conference lacked both battery and motor which is not to say it won't be built but will likely take some more time to get the electric drivetrain together. Hopefully it won't take too long since the K.07 is also supposed to be available in an all-electric version as is the upcoming K.09 to be unveiled at the next Geneva Motor Show. So, what's this car have to do with the Tesla Roadster? Believe it or not, they both share British DNA from the Lotus Elise.



[Source: Autoblog / Autocar]

Click on picture above for a complete high-resolution gallery of the Audi Q7 TDI (V12 model)

It quite seems that the Japanese will soon have more diesel cars available. We already knew about the X-Trail diesel which is going on sale in a few weeks, but now another manufacturer has announced plans to sell a diesel model in Japan: Audi, the marque that created TDI engines. Somewhat surprisingly, Audi did not announce the upcoming A1 or even the A3 bestseller for Japan: instead, the company will be bringing its large SUV, the Q7, to Japan and it's expected to go on sale in 2010. Fortunately, the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI will spot Audi's latest antipollution measures, such as an AdBlue-based NOx catalyst.

As our readers surely know, Japan is still a very closed market for diesel cars (more so than the U. S.), with motorists thinking of diesel engines as noisy, smelly and truck-like. According to German Car Blog, Audi expects that 10 percent of the their car sales could be powered with diesel cars by 2015.



[Source: German Car Blog]

"Make hay while the sun shines 'cuz we're on our way and we're bringing some serious rain," is the message Honda and Yamaha are sending to the new electric motorcycle companies that have been springing up like daisies. Only one of the two long-established Japanese brands has shown off battery-powered concepts in the recent past and neither has offered any for sale to the public. This has allowed new start-ups like Vectrix to begin establishing a strong presence. No more. Well, in a year or two, no more. Maybe.

Honda and Yamaha have reportedly both set launch dates for electric motorcycles. YaMoCo is looking at 2010 to offer a bike with 50cc-like performance with a 100km (62 mile) range. Not too impressive, but it's a start. HoMoCo Honda, for their part, is targeting a model for a 2011 launch that is suited for the Japanese postal service who are said to be moving their 90,000-strong bike fleet to electric power. Lithium ion seems to be their battery chemistry of choice for the Japanese firms. While not seemingly overwhelming in the performance department, we suspect the two may be able to offer their wares at very competitive prices.

[Source: Reuters]

Although Japanese battery makers currently have plans to greatly expand their production capacity at home, it seems this still isn't enough and America seems to be the destination of choice for some new manufacturing plants. One of the companies planning on creating some green-collar jobs in the U.S. is GS Yuasa Corp. Their president, Makoto Yoda said, "Named must your fear be before banish it you can. We have to choose our next factory's location based on growth in the given market." While not a household brand name for most Americans, GS Yuasa's automotive partner, Mitsubishi, is sure to ring a bell. They are using lithium ion batteries from GS Yuasa in their all-electric i MiEV which is soon to be tested in California. Although they have not yet committed to selling this car stateside, this announcement is sure to raise hopes.

Another company with American battery factory plans is Toyota. Having already announced plans to build Priuses in Mississippi in 2010, the world's biggest automaker believes manufacturing batteries here will help them achieve their cost reduction goals. Toyota has been able to reduce it's per vehicle cost by 50 percent since its first-gen Prius and hopes to halve those costs again in their next-gen. Of the decision company vice chairman Kazuo Okamoto said, "It is very difficult to make the main parts of batteries outside Japan, but we have to have battery production in North America," No time table for the plants were given but when they arrive we think they will help provide both employment and environmental wins for America.

[Source: Bloomberg / Reuters]

If you happen to live in Japan, your choices for buying a diesel car are quite meager. Until a new model goes on sale on September 18, there is only one diesel car available: the Mercedes E320 CDI. The model in question is a Nissan X-Trail GT20, codenamed M9R, which gets a Renault-derived 2.0-liter dCi diesel engine, which was announced last year and was used for the G8 summit last June. This engine gets 30 percent better mileage than the standard 2.5-liter gasoline version while offering the same power and torque as the 3.5-liter V6. The powertrain is also fully compliant with Japan's new anti-pollution legislation which becomes mandatory in October 2009. As with most other new diesels, the M9R uses a high pressure (1,600 bar) common rail injection system with piezo-electric injectors. The exhaust after-treatment system consists of a lean NOx trap and diesel particulate filter. Volkswagen, Honda, Mitsubishi and Subaru expect to have diesel vehicles available next year as well.

[Source: Le Blog Auto]

One of the last electric car hold-outs has announced they will finally be jumping on the zero-emission bandwagon. Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe let slip today in Tokyo future plans for just such a vehicle. Skimping on the details he said only that they would be mass produced and go on sale sometime in the early "2010s." Geez dude, throw a dog a bone, would you? Luckily Toyota Executive Vice-President Masatami Takimoto was able to offer more plot clues. "We consider electric vehicles as one of the candidates for sustainable mobility, [but] for the time being the most realistic approach is to use the electric vehicle for short-distance travel," He maintains that, given the limitations of modern battery technology, the next Toyota EV would be a small commuter type vehicle. Hopefully, it will bigger than their previous small electric car of that type, the eCom. We also hope they aim for more range than the 120 miles their RAV4EV got with NiMH batteries, although that range was certainly plenty for a lot of drivers.

[Source: Bloomberg / Business Week]

click the Toyota iQ for high res gallery

Ever since seeing the concept Toyota iQ last year and then the prototype version earlier this summer, we've been wondering how the asymmetrical configuration of the 3+1 seating arrangement and the iQ's overall small size would work for an average driver. We still don't know exactly how practical this tiny car (it's 9.8ft-long and has a 78.8in wheelbase) is, but the folks over at Edmunds say that the iQ is nothing if not spacious and solid to drive. Edmunds heard from Toyota that the European-spec iQ will be available with either a one-liter, five-speed manual or a turbocharged 1.4L diesel with a six speed manual (yes, please). Later, a 1.3L with variable valve timing version will be available with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission.

We're getting more and more jealous that this mini-car is destined to be available in Japan and Europe but might take a pass on the U.S. There's been no official word from Toyota on U.S. sales, but we're willing to vote "aye" if we're ever asked if we want one.


[Source: Edmunds]

According to a Financial Times online article, the answer to the question in the headline is yes. The EV revolution will require a lot of participants, and editor J. Soble summarizes the recent efforts from four Japanese automakers, the postal service, a utility company and the Japanese government, which are all working towards a future with a lot of electric cars on the road.

First, we have the expectations that Mitsubishi MiEV, Subaru R1e, Nissan-Renault will continue their EV projects in Japan (not just in Europe and Israel). Of course, we also await the plug-in version of the Toyota Prius. As for Japan's postal service, the company announced it will convert its 21,000 vehicle fleet to run on electrons. Utility Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) has announced the development of new electric stations that could charge an EV enough to run for 40 km (26 miles) in five minutes, or up to 60 km (40 miles) in ten minutes. The company sees them in, for instance, supermarkets. The government is helping build the infrastructure as well: The Kanagawa prefecture, the region adjoining Tokyo, is providing 150 recharging stations in an effor to fulfil the Japanese Government's announcement that half of the new cars sold in 2020 will be electric. Thanks to Mark for the tip.


[Source: FT]

The world's number one rechargeable battery maker is seeking out new automotive clients in an attempt to stay on top of the heap. With its competitor, Matsushita (Panasonic), snapping at its heels with plans to triple output, Sanyo is on the hunt for new contracts from auto manufacturers. Sanyo's nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are already in the Ford Escape hybrid but it is lithium ion where the company will no doubt want to focus its efforts, especially given that companies like Audi seem keen on the newer tech. They are also currently investing billions in that effort.

Using something of a shotgun approach, Sanyo says it's in talks with 5 or 6 different companies on three different continents.They had already been cooperating with Volkswagen on lithium ion batteries for hybrids coming to market in 2010. Volkswagen is also presumed to use that company's batteries for its planned all-electric vehicles as well. In a boast to Reuters, Sanyo Electric Senior Vice President Masato Ito said of their nearest competitor, "By the time Matsushita has raised its capacity to 75 million, ours will be well over 100 million." We can only hope that all this increased investment and battery braggadocio will result in lower prices.

[Source: Guardian]

At a recently-held advanced technology briefing, Nissan showed off its "Battery Lab" used for developing lithium ion batteries for electric and hybrid cars. This research facility is used to create different electrode formulations, as well as battery prototyping and testing. With all the battery improvement and electric car promises Nissan has been making, this is likely a very busy, very important place.

It is here that electrode materials are mixed and pressed onto aluminum sheets along with active materials, conducting aids and binders. The cells have different properties depending on the types and proportions of materials used. Nissan is working with lithium manganate as a positive electrode material as well as iron formulations. The challenge for battery makers is slightly different depending upon the application. For hybrids, scientists need the battery to be able to put out a lot of power, while for an all-electric vehicle, the amount of energy density is more important. They seem to be making some solid gains too. Nissan claims a power density of 2,500W/kg (English translation; lots of power) for a hybrid vehicle battery while its energy densities for an all-electric car battery have reached 140Wh/kg. That's not as good as the Tesla Roadster's numbers, but it is longer lasting with better thermal stability. As more advancements in batteries are made, we expect car companies to really start bragging about their products using increasingly technical language. If you want to understand what they are talking about, brush up on the science of modern batteries by clicking here.

[Source: Tech-On]

One of Japan's largest sake manufacturers, Gekkeikan, has announced the development of a new "super yeast" able to produce cellulosic ethanol from non-edible parts of plants, such as paddy straw and chaff. The super yeast that produces alcohol was created with genetic engineering, by integrating koji mold genes that produce cellulolytic enzymes into sake yeast. These enzymes become densely displayed on the surfaces of the yeast cells. Since this super yeast has the functions of the standard koji mold, it achieves one-step production of ethanol from pretreated cellulose. The company claims the whole process is completed with a new easier pre-treatment at high temperature and pressure, which saves energy and uses insignificant chemical components.

[Source: Japan for Sustainability]

Next time you're in Japan, feel free to step into a velotaxi - those rickshaw-like vehicles which have become popular in some city centers - and calculate how much CO₂ you saved by reading your receipt. The new receipts, which are being already provided on 17 vehicles in Tokyo and three in Kyoto, show the amount of carbon a regular car would have produced along the route just taken, if the user had chosen an ICE engine vehicle that produces 230 grams of CO₂ per km instead of a human-powered vehicle. As a side benefit, velotaxis are allowed in pedestrian areas where regular cars (or some weird hybrids) would never be allowed and produce no pollution and no noise. Using the 230 number seems a bit steep for the comparison, doesn't it?

[Source: Japan for Sustainability]

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the largest energy firm in Japan, plans to begin installing quick-charge stations for electric vehicles. The initial roll-out calls for some 200 stations to be up and running by March of 2010. TEPCO doesn't plan to stop there, with 1,000 more stations planned within three years. This planned project coincides nicely with the expected launch of the Mitsubishi iMiev, which TEPCO has been extensively testing these last few years, and EVs from Subaru and Nissan as well. These stations will use technology already developed by the energy company which allows an EV to travel 40 kilometers on a five-minute charge and 60 kilometers on a 10-minute charge. Of course, the total available battery capacity and the ability to accept that much power is dependent on the vehicle's on-bard power pack. Each station is said to cost upwards of 4 million yen (that's about $36,570).

[Source: Nikkei via Forbes]