The Grand Opening of Japan's Largest Motor Show... Future Mobility Presented by Latecomers in Electrification

Japan Mobility Show 2023 Pre-Press Preview on 25th
Local Automakers Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.
Imported Cars Mercedes-Benz, BMW, BYD, etc.
Resuming After 4 Years Since Name Change in 2019

The Japan Mobility Show 2023 officially kicked off on the 25th with a pre-press event at Tokyo Big Sight. It is Japan's largest automobile and parts exhibition, held for the first time in four years since 2019. The event is biennial, but the 2021 edition was canceled due to COVID-19.

Major automakers, including Toyota, focused on showcasing future technologies such as electrification transitions. Japanese automakers had increased sales worldwide since the late 20th century, but recently seemed somewhat behind on new trends like electrification. Aware of such criticism, they highlighted electrification technologies under development, including electric concept models.

The 'Japan Mobility Show 2023' officially opened with a pre-event press preview on the 25th. A large number of reporters gathered in front of the Toyota booth.
[Photo by Korea Automobile Journalists Association]

This year’s event runs from the 28th through the 5th of next month. A total of 475 companies participated, including local automakers, parts manufacturers, electric vehicle charging companies, and various startups. In comparison, 192 companies participated in the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Reflecting global trends, the event’s name was changed to Mobility Show starting this year.

Toyota, which had the largest exhibition space, showcased the electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) FT-3e concept car and the high-performance electric sports car FT-Se at the center stage. Both feature futuristic designs emphasizing streamlined shapes. The compact electric concept car Kaiyobako has a boxy shape and is being developed to be versatile for specific purposes such as delivery and outdoor activities.

Additionally, Toyota exhibited the Land Cruiser Se, a pure electric vehicle under development, the mid-size pickup truck concept EPU, and the personal mobility device JUU. The prototype Space Mobility is a mobility device being developed for space exploration and other purposes.

Mibe Toshihiro Honda, CEO, is giving a presentation at the Japan Mobility Show held on the 25th.
[Photo by Korea Automobile Journalists Association]

Honda unveiled the compact electric concept car Sustain-a-C and an electric two-wheeled pocket concept model. They also displayed the electric sports car concept Specialty, the small business aircraft HondaJet, and an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) powered by a gas turbine hybrid, all in one corner of the exhibition hall. For the first time, they introduced the Prelude concept, a coupe model discontinued in the early 2000s. Mazda revealed the electric sports car Iconic SP concept car, and Subaru debuted its sports mobility concept car.

Among foreign brands, Mercedes-Benz exhibited the pure electric EQG based on the off-road G-Class. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD set up a large exhibition space comparable to local manufacturers. They directly introduced the electric sedan Seal, as well as the compact hatchback Dolphin, the Atto 3, and the high-end SUV U8. Unlike most other automakers that displayed concept cars, BYD showcased production vehicles. In addition to vehicles, they displayed exhibits explaining electric vehicle platforms and battery technologies, as well as a V2H model.

BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle and battery manufacturer, exhibition booth. A significant number of journalists covering the local event attended the press briefing.
[Photo by Korea Automobile Journalists Association]

Since the late 20th century, Japan has held a distinctive position in the global automobile market by leveraging its unique production methods and technological capabilities. However, it has been criticized for lagging behind in the transition to electrification. There are also criticisms that Japan’s insistence on proprietary technologies like hybrids caused it to miss the broader trend. Conscious of these points, most local manufacturers appeared to be focusing their efforts on electrification transitions, such as pure electric vehicles currently under development.

Mazda MX-5. The best-selling convertible (open car) in the world was displayed on one side of the Mazda showroom on this day.
[Photo by Korea Automobile Journalists Association]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.