After four years of hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Motor Show has reopened its doors. In reality, he has done it under another name and with a different training. Renamed the Japan Mobility Show, the general public will be able to visit it between October 28 and November 5 at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center. The three days prior to the general opening are intended for professionals in the sector.
This edition has managed to bring together a total of 475 companies, which will deploy their entire arsenal of innovations to show where mobility is and where it is going. Hence, the fair, as has happened with other internationally renowned events, is not only a car exhibition but is presented as a magnificent showcase with multiple other vehicles and gadgets designed to facilitate the transportation of people and goods by land and air. And, obviously, all this using sustainable propulsion systems, which contribute to protecting the environment and help stop the climate change that is affecting our planet.
Thus, the stands show everything from new generations of electric vehicles (EV) to "flying cars" and robotic devices. There is no shortage of Chinese automobile companies, although it is the Japanese ones, which play at home, that have the most relevant role. And companies like Toyota, Honda or Nissan have made a great deployment.
The first of them, which is the world's largest company in the sector by sales volume, is exhibiting two prototypes of battery electric cars at the show, the light off-road vehicle FT-3e and the sports utility vehicle FT-Se. The Japanese firm, a pioneer in hybrid cars, was reluctant to adopt fully electric vehicles, but has made a turn since Koji Sato became president in April of this year. "Electric cars are not only environmentally friendly, they can also provide values through various experiences," said the head of the company during his speech at the opening of the fair.
In addition to the aforementioned models, the brand also presents two other prototypes. The first is the imv 0, a customizable pickup with the assembly of different modules in the cargo area. The second is the Kayoibako, a van that can be used to distribute goods, transport people in wheelchairs or as a mobile office or store.
The Toyota group's luxury firm, Lexus, has unveiled the LF-ZC prototype, an electric vehicle that, equipped with a high-efficiency battery, is capable of doubling the autonomy of most current models. Thus it could travel up to a thousand kilometers on a single charge. This car anticipates a new production model scheduled for launch in 2026.
For its part, Honda is exhibiting the Cruise Origin, an autonomous driving electric vehicle without a steering wheel or driver's seat developed together with the American General Motors and which it plans to deploy in Tokyo in 2026 as the centerpiece of an automated taxi service.
Likewise, he shows his flying proposals. Specifically, the Honda eVTOL and the HondaJet, whose objective is to facilitate people's movements beyond the road. With the CI-MEV autonomous microvehicle, Honda wants to improve the quality of life of people as they age and lose mobility.
Nissan is also present at the fair with the prototype of its Hyper Tourer electric minivan, equipped with biometric signal monitoring technology to adjust the conditions inside the vehicle depending on the driver's mood.
Suzuki Motor, in association with the flying vehicle company SkyDrive, exhibits a model of the terminal that they plan to market starting next spring, and Sansei Technologies, specialized in the manufacture of attractions for theme parks, exhibits its SR-02 robot, 3.6 meters long and 2.1 meters high, capable of walking on all fours while carrying up to four people.
