Nissan Motor and Honda Motor announced on March 15 that the two Japanese carmakers will begin a feasibility study for an electric vehicle partnership. (Source photos by Yuki Nakao and Mizuho Miyazaki)
Automobiles

Nissan and Honda seeking EV partnership amid 'new competition'

Japanese auto companies say collaboration will not extend to a capital alliance

15 March 2024
An electric bus backs into a spot at a charging station maintained by Energy Absolute in Minburi, Thailand. (All photos by Adryel Talamantes)
Automobiles

Thai clean power provider hears skeptics, rides electric bus bet

Energy Absolute stock dives as the market grows wary of its plan to fight smog

14 March 2024
Nissan Motor and Honda Motor could join hands in electric vehicles, marking the start of a partnership between two rival Japanese automakers.
Automobiles

Nissan weighs EV partnership with Honda

Tie-up could include development of shared electric vehicle platform

14 March 2024
Le Thi Thu Thuy chairs EV maker VinFast in Vietnam, a country that has given rise to a challenger to automakers from Western and big Asian economies. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Automobiles

VinFast spies room for a newcomer as EVs upend car sector

Vietnam automaker has shot at grabbing market share before brand loyalties harden

13 March 2024
Nissan plans to cut its production capacity in China by up to 30%, consolidating its factories in the country and shifting some capacity to exports.
Automobiles

Nissan and Honda to cut China production as EV race heats up

Japanese automakers lose share to local rivals they also work with

12 March 2024
Daihatsu Motor suspended production at its domestic factories in late 2023 due to a safety scandal. (Photo by Yo Inoue)
Economy

Japan's January GDP falls 0.5% on halted auto factories: JCER

Monthly figures show impact of Daihatsu safety test scandal

12 March 2024
JSW also plans to invest in a more-than-30% stake in MG Motor's Indian subsidiary. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanada)
Automobiles

Tesla-free India becomes EV battleground as JSW enters fray

Steel conglomerate plans annual production of 400,000 vehicles

8 March 2024
Trucks wait for loading around a container terminal in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on March 7. (Photo by Sae Kamae)
Business Spotlight

Japan's driver shortages spur innovation at warehouses

Japan-China competition heats up in autonomous forklifts for logistics

8 March 2024
Hyundai Motor's Elec City Town was released in South Korea last year. (Photo by Yugo Takagaki)
Automobiles

Hyundai to launch e-buses in Japan, customized for local market

With 220-km range, South Korean automaker will target use for outlying routes

8 March 2024
VinFast Auto Chairwoman Le Thi Thu Thuy speaks during the Asia Green Tech Summit in Singapore on March 7. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Climate Change

From EVs to hydrogen, Asia's green tech sector perseveres amid financing hurdles

Nikkei-Financial Times summit highlights transition urgency amid climate change

7 March 2024
Panasonic Energy is currently building a plant in Kansas to make EV batteries. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Technology

Tesla supplier Panasonic weighs more U.S. battery investment in Kansas

Japanese maker cautious in face of slackening EV demand

7 March 2024
The Felicity Ace carrier had nearly 4,000 cars onboard when it caught fire in February 2022.
Transportation

Porsche EV battery blamed for ship fire in Mitsui O.S.K. lawsuit

$32m in damages sought for 2022 sinking of car carrier Felicity Ace

7 March 2024
Didi, which operates robotaxis in China, has withdrawn from road testing in California. (Didi)
Automobiles

Chinese self-driving car developers slash California test drives

Didi pulls out of program as U.S. scrutiny of China tech mounts

6 March 2024
BYD Explorer No. 1 is the fist of eight planned RORO car carriers the company will use to export its vehicles. (BYD)
Electric cars in China

BYD to deploy fleet of 8 car carriers to underpin global EV expansion

Chinese automakers and shipbuilders team up to support exports

5 March 2024
The RAV4 was a big seller for Toyota in the U.S. in February. (Photo by Takafumi Hotta)
Automobiles

Toyota, Honda hybrids power U.S. sales growth streak for Japanese cars

Automakers log 18% rise in volume in February along with Subaru and Mazda

3 March 2024
Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD's sales in the Asia Pacific, speaks during an event in Tokyo on March 1. (Photo by Sayumi Take)
Automobiles

BYD expands Japan exposure with more EV models, dealership network

Chinese maker challenges market dominated by local players

1 March 2024
News broke this week that Apple has decided to cancel work on a new electric vehicle.
Technology

China charges ahead in EVs as Apple gives up decadelong dream

Japan has opening to learn from U.S. tech leader's stumble

1 March 2024
A BYD Seal electric vehicle at a Shanghai trade show in April 2023. The U.S. wants to look into technologies used in connected cars over national security threats.
Automobiles

U.S. launches inquiry into Chinese connected cars

Biden orders review of dangers of data collection on drivers and passengers

1 March 2024
Honda Motor will launch a new fuel cell vehicle this summer in the U.S. and Japan. (Photo by Sayumi Take)
Automobiles

Honda gives hydrogen cars another try with plug-in functionality

Automaker to launch new SUV in Japan and California this summer

28 February 2024
Bridgestone will focus on premium passenger-vehicle tires in China, one of its specialties.
Automobiles

Bridgestone bows out of truck and bus tires in China

Price competition spurs Japanese manufacturer to focus on passenger cars

28 February 2024
Siam Cement Group CEO Thammasak Sethaudom speaks to Nikkei Asia in Bangkok on Feb. 14. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
Materials

Siam Cement develops cost-effective hydrogen for green mobility

Company aims to build value chain for both EVs and hydrogen vehicles

27 February 2024
Proterial's new iron sheets can cover EV parts such as onboard chargers in addition to batteries. (Proterial)
Materials

EV battery cover from Japan's Proterial helps lighten cars by 10%

Material replaces aluminum cases in protecting against electromagnetic interference

24 February 2024
Honda is testing a fuel cell backup power system for data centers in California. (Photo by Shoya Okinaga)
Energy

Hydrogen power for AI: Honda expands fuel cell drive to U.S. data centers

Generators for tech giants could help its cars compete on cost

23 February 2024
The SAIC-Volkswagen Automotive joint venture sold 3.24 million cars and trucks in China in 2023.
Automobiles

Volkswagen slammed by investors group over forced Uyghur labor

German automaker's Xinjiang troubles boil over as China joint venture in focus

22 February 2024
Bigmotor's practices included deliberately damaging customer vehicles and then filing fraudulent insurance claims.
Business deals

Japan's Itochu in final talks to acquire scandal-hit Bigmotor

Used-car chain faces split into 2 companies amid restructuring

22 February 2024