Suzuki Motor Corporation is to lease its MIO fuel-cell mobility scooter to the Shizuoka prefectural government for a collaborative trial from 28 November.

Suzuki showed the MIO as a reference exhibit at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007 and at the International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition in 2006 and 2007. It has improved the MIO’s reliability ahead of the trial with the prefectural government.

Whereas mobility scooters already launched by Suzuki are powered by batteries, the MIO is powered by a fuel cell, which uses a convenient liquid fuel (methanol). The fuel cell gives the MIO a range of 60km, which is about twice that of a battery-powered mobility scooter. Suzuki is conducting development with a view to putting fuel-cell technology to practical use in mobility scooters for seniors.

Suzuki will also include the already-launched battery-powered ET4D mobility scooter in the forthcoming trial as a way to better ascertain the advantages and disadvantages of fuel-cell models. It plans to use the resulting know-how to further improve the MIO’s fuel-cell technology.

Source: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

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Suzuki Scooters

The Government of Portugal and the Renault-Nissan Alliance today announced a comprehensive partnership to deliver zero emission mobility to Portugal from 2010. The plan will utilize electric vehicles supplied by the Alliance, and will leverage an extensive charging network that will be built across Portugal over the next three years.

In July, Portugal became the first European country to establish a partnership directly with the Renault-Nissan Alliance to explore zero emission mobility. The goal was to address concerns such as global warming, dependence on oil and sustainable mobility. After four months of discussion and analysis, Portugal today became the first European country to sign a final agreement with the Alliance for implementing a zero emission mobility program.

“We realized early on that zero-emission mobility goes far beyond the vehicle itself,” said Carlos Tavares, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “It requires extensive collaboration with government and other partners to ensure success.”

The plan calls for 1,300 vehicle charging locations to be operational by the end of 2011, with 320 of those locations already in place in 2010.

Portugal will also offer incentives to electric vehicle purchasers, including an income tax credit for individuals and corporate tax reductions for fleet purchases of electric vehicles. The tax incentives, which begin in late 2010, will last at least five years.

The Government of Portugal is also mandating that 20% of public fleet vehicle purchases be zero-emission, starting in 2011.

Additional measures, such as reduced parking rates, preferential access and financing subsidies are being studied further. Public awareness and educational activities, including electric vehicle demonstrations, will begin in 2010.

The measures were announced at Portugal Tecnológico 2008 in Lisbon, one of the country’s most important technology exhibitions sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Innovation. Nissan’s Denki (Japanese for “electric”) Cube is on display at the six-day exhibition. This concept vehicle features the same lithium-ion battery technology that will power Nissan’s new electric vehicles.

“Portugal is a global leader in renewable energy. The next step is to make Portugal a pioneer in zero emission mobility. Electric vehicles offer major benefits to our society by reducing imports of fuel, improving energy security, reducing CO2 emissions and offering a reliable and secure alternative towards sustainable mobility,” said Portugal’s Prime Minister José Sócrates.

Source: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

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Honda Motor Co., Ltd. held The FCX Clarity Experience Opening, a special event introducing the advanced fuel cell vehicle to children. The event featured a presentation on the structure and function of fuel cells and rides in the FCX Clarity on public streets, providing children an opportunity to learn more about environmental issues, dream their own dreams of advanced technology, and experience the wonder of the FCX Clarity by seeing and touching the actual vehicle. This experience also encouraged children to take a step ahead of adults and envision a more environmentally responsible future, one in which the first automobile they drive will be a fuel cell vehicle.

To allow the greatest number of people possible to personally experience the wonder of the FCX Clarity, Honda plans to hold a wide variety of events throughout Japan.

The FCX Clarity will also serve as the lead car in the 85th Tokyo-Hakone Ekiden Race, to be held January 2-3, 2009.

In addition, in October 2008 Honda launched the Honda Green Machine1 corporate environmental advertising campaign, featuring Peanuts2 characters. In mid-December the campaign will further expand with a new series of television and newspaper advertisements.

Source: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

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The RJC Car of the Year award was launched in 1992. For the 2009 award, 17 domestic models that were launched in the period from 1 November 2007 to 31 October 2008 were evaluated by 62 jurors. A vote on 4 November narrowed the field to six models, and a vote on 18 November determined the winner.

Source: Suzuki Motor Corporation

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Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the development of the Ecological Drive Assist System, which combines three functions to enhance fuel economy: the ECON Mode utilizes harmonized control of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) and engine to support more fuel-efficient driving; the guidance function uses speedometer color to provide real-time guidance on fuel-efficient driving; and thescoring function provides feedback about current driving practices, as well as feedback on cumulative, long-term fuel-efficient driving. The world’s first* system to combine these three functions in a comprehensive approach to fuel economy enhancement, the Ecological Drive Assist System will be implemented for the first time on the all-new Insight hybrid vehicle in spring 2009.

Furthermore, for the Japan-market version of the Insight equipped with the optional Honda HDD InterNavi System, the Ecological Drive Assist System has an added function that enables drivers to receive advice on driving practices that enhance fuel economy.

Since driving practices have a large impact on fuel economy, Honda developed the Ecological Drive Assist System to further enhance the real-world fuel economy through controlling the CVT and engine based on the actual driving conditions and enabling the driver to learn how to drive more fuel-efficiently. In particular, the scoring function provides cumulative, long-term feedback through graphic ‘leaves’, which grow over time as drivers become more proficient in fuel-efficient driving. The joy of growing these leaves over a long time will encourage drivers to learn how to drive more fuel-efficiently.

The glacier white body color conveys the FC Sport’s clean environmental aspirations while the dark wheels and deeply tinted glass provide a symbolic contrast befitting of the vehicle’s unique combination of clean power and high performance. Green construction techniques further contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. An organic, bio-structure theme is carried through to the body construction where exterior panels are intended to use plant-derived bio-plastics.

Source: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

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Hybrid Vehicles, CVT and Engines