Toyota electric cars could use airless tires if research pans out: report

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowAlthough electric cars offer numerous benefits in engineering, design, and zero-emission operation, their overall weight remains a hurdle for automakers, especially as bigger batteries with longer ranges become more important. It now appears that Toyota may look to airless tires as a way to cut weight in its future electric cars: It debuted the...

Mercedes parent Daimler launches E-Fuso electric truck sub-brand

E-Fuso Vision One conceptDaimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz and Smart, also owns the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation—which it used last week to preview major shifts coming to its Daimler Trucks business. It all took place at the reveal of E-Fuso, a new sub-brand of Daimler's Fuso operation that will focus on electrified and electric trucks and buses...

Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept electric SUV for Tokyo Motor Show

Mitsubishi e-Evolution concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowThe Tokyo Motor Show is a chance for Japanese automakers to show off what they've been working on in secret labs and design studios. At the Mitsubishi booth this year sits an aggressive-looking all-electric SUV that shows one version of what your next large electric car could look like, if you enjoy hulking rear ends on your high-clearance 'ute...

Honda’s second electric-car concept is Sports EV coupe unveiled in Tokyo

Honda Sports EV concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowFollowing Honda's hit electric-car concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Urban EV, the company brought a second all-electric concept to the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show with more sporting intentions. The Honda Sports EV coupe concept debuted the Urban EV concept, a design wrapped in a sleek and retro-looking sports car body. If Honda bet on retro...

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride fuel-cell concept targets 600 miles of range

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowToyota continues to experiment with and develop various types of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles despite not yet offering a single production battery-electric car. The Japanese automaker now sells the Mirai, has announced it will begin studies of the Project Portal fuel-cell semi truck, and reportedly plans a fuel-cell luxury sedan for its Lexus brand...

Nissan IMx Concept electric SUV debuts at Tokyo Motor Show

Nissan IMx concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowThe long-awaited all-electric crossover utility concept from Nissan finally made its public debut Wednesday morning on the first press day at the Tokyo auto show. Dubbed the Nissan IMx, the compact crossover concept includes both fully autonomous driving and an electric range given as more than 370 miles (600 km). That range is likely on a...

Will Nissan have an electric SUV concept at Tokyo Motor Show?

Teaser for Nissan concept debuting at 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowAutomakers spend a lot of time trying to work out how electrified powertrains, autonomous driving technology, connectivity, and sharing will turn their industry upside down. Or not. Meanwhile, globally but especially in North America, one trend is clear right this moment: utility vehicles are hot. When Nissan put out a teaser video on Tuesday for...

Nissan Juke concept to get e-Power series hybrid system as well

2017 Nissan JukeNissan is a leader in electric cars, but the Japanese automaker has been slow to adopt competitive hybrid technology. In a move that could potentially rectify that situation, Nissan unveiled its new e-Power series-hybrid system in Japan late last year. The system was first demonstrated in a Nissan Note, the subcompact hatchback sold as the Versa...