5+ mon, 1+ week ago (161+ words) In the rural suburbs of Hiroshima, a Japanese startup is trying to kick-start the nation's electric vehicle market with the smallest, cheapest car it can possibly make. In the rural suburbs of Hiroshima, a Japanese startup is trying to kick-start the nation's electric vehicle market with the smallest, cheapest car it can possibly make.KG Motors has developed a battery-powered one-seater that more resembles a futuristic golf cart than it does a modern EV, much less a traditional car And yet well over half of the 3,300 units it plans to deliver by March 2027 have already been pre-sold to customers.Incidentally, that puts it on track to sell more EVs in Japan than the world's biggest automaker, Toyota Motor, which shifted around such 2,000 vehicles in all of 2024 In a country where EVs are still a rare sight, KG Motors is trying…...

7+ mon, 1+ week ago (269+ words) The Environment Ministry issued a notice to local governments on Tuesday requesting the thorough separation and collection of such batteries. The Environment Ministry is urging people to dispose of lithium-ion batteries properly as they can catch fire when mixed with other waste under certain conditions. Following reports across the country of lithium-ion batteries catching fire after being disposed of with other garbage, the ministry issued a notice to local governments on Tuesday requesting the thorough separation and collection of such batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are light and long-lasting, and are used in a variety of electronic products, such as power banks and e-cigarettes. When hit with a strong impact or exposed to rain, however, the batteries are prone to igniting. The ministry last month partially revised its guidelines for the disposal of general waste, saying that it is desirable for municipalities…...

4+ mon, 1+ week ago (133+ words) BYD's monthly sales have stagnated of late and with the summer months being a traditionally slower time, that trajectory isn't expected to reverse any time soon. Life atop China's car market is starting to look shaky for BYD Life at the top is proving complex for China's leading automaker, and there are fresh challenges on the horizon. BYD's monthly sales have stagnated of late and with the summer months being a traditionally slower time for consumer purchases, that trajectory isn't expected to reverse any time soon. Discounting is also now being looked sternly upon by Beijing, with China last week pledging to rein in "irrational competition" in the electric vehicle sector, reflecting authorities' wish to tackle the deflationary price wars that are threatening economic and industrial growth....

4+ mon, 7+ min ago (290+ words) The ratio of car accidents in Japan resulting in death or serious injury that were caused by foreign drivers hit a record high of 2.1% in January-June, National Police Agency data showed Tuesday. According to the NPA, the number of such accidents in Japan in the first half of 2025 rose by 19 from a year earlier to 258, exceeding 250 for the first time since 2008. It was also the first time for the ratio to exceed 2.0%. The agency said that accidents caused by foreign drivers are on the rise with the increase in foreign residents and tourists. In response, the NPA plans to tighten the rules for the conversion of foreign driver's licenses to Japanese ones. The number of car accidents in Japan resulting in death or serious injury that occurred while drivers were using mobile phones, including those caused by Japanese, rose to…...

5+ mon, 1+ week ago (187+ words) Nissan Motor's push to breathe new life into its lineup will see the debut of an updated version of the Leaf, the struggling brand's compact family car that was the world's first mass-market electric ... Nissan Motor's push to breathe new life into its lineup will see the debut of an updated version of the Leaf, the struggling brand's compact family car that was the world's first mass-market electric vehicle.The Leaf has sold almost 700,000 units since it was originally released in 2010, making Nissan an EV pioneer But the Japanese carmaker struggled to maintain that early momentum, only introducing its second fully electric model " the Ariya SUV " in 2022 into a market crowded with high-tech offerings.Now, as CEO Ivan Espinosa undertakes an ambitious rescue plan to stem the carmaker's rapidly deteriorating financial position, Nissan is betting a revamp of the Leaf…...

8+ mon, 3+ week ago (115+ words) Passengers on South Korean airlines must now keep power banks and e-cigarettes on their person and not in overhead cabin compartments. SEOUL - South Korea tightened rules on carrying lithium batteries on planes from Saturday, highlighting a growing risk to flights worldwide from the batteries used in cellphones and e-cigarettes that can malfunction to produce smoke, fire or extreme heat.Last year, three incidents of overheating lithium batteries on planes were recorded every fortnight across the globe by the U.S Federal Aviation Administration, compared with just under one a week in 2018.Aviation has long recognized the increasingly used batteries as a safety concern, and rules are periodically tightened in response to accidents....

8+ mon, 2+ week ago (189+ words) Disappointing shipments in China have been blamed on a narrow and dated lineup, particularly in the face of up-to-date and more exciting offerings from BYD and others. It's almost unthinkable, but Tesla, the company that comes to mind when most people think about electric vehicles, may have had its best days in China, the world's biggest and most advanced EV market.Elon Musk's automaker has been backsliding in China for the past five consecutive months on a year-on-year basis, according to data from the country's Passenger Car Association Tesla's shipments plunged 49% in February from a year earlier to just 30,688 vehicles, the lowest monthly figure since way back in July 2022, when it shipped just 28,217 EVs " and that was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.Tesla's factory on the outskirts of Shanghai has had some of its production lines retooled for…...

16+ hour, 11+ min ago (105+ words) Chinese companies are building on rapid development of drones and EVs while harnessing government support for the futuristic inventions. Electric vehicle prowess helps China's flying car sector take off A worker in white gloves inspects the propellers of a boxy two-seater aircraft fresh off the assembly line at a Chinese factory trialing the mass production of flying cars. Globally, technical and regulatory challenges have prevented the much-hyped flying car sector from getting off the ground. But Chinese companies are building on rapid development of drones and electric vehicles (EVs) in the world's second-largest economy, while harnessing government support for the futuristic inventions....

6+ mon, 2+ week ago (180+ words) The supplier of lithium-ion batteries to Tesla is getting ready to start production at a second U.S.-based factory in Kansas, but has frozen plans for a third plant. Panasonic Holdings' decision not to rush into expanding capacity to build batteries has been validated by slower global demand for electric vehicles, CEO Yuki Kusumi said.The supplier of lithium-ion batteries to Tesla is getting ready to start production at a second U.S.-based factory in Kansas, but has frozen plans for a third plant Panasonic has been making batteries in Nevada since 2017, helping the carmaker ramp up volume sales for Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y cars.Panasonic may also be poised to benefit from having factories in the U.S as Tesla and others seek to reduce their reliance on Chinese battery-makers, because of the tariffs being imposed on items imported into the…...

10+ mon, 2+ week ago (106+ words) Just 380,609 EVs were registered in 2024 in Europe's largest auto market, 27.4% fewer than in the previous year. Germany electric vehicle sales go into reverse Sales of new electric vehicles in Germany plunged last year, official figures showed Monday, as a slow switch to battery-powered cars deepened the woes of the country's flagship auto industry. Just 380,609 EVs were registered in 2024 in Europe's largest auto market, 27.4% fewer than in the previous year, the KBA federal transport authority said. After years of growth, demand for battery-powered cars lost momentum as the German economy struggles and key subsidies are withdrawn....