(By Observer Net, Zhang Jiadong, Editor: Gao Xin)
After officially renaming to "Japan Mobility Expo" in 2023, this exhibition, which showcases the forefront of Japan's automotive and entire mobility industry, focuses on Japanese consumers. It represents the changes in demand in the Japanese car market and the strategic transformation of Japanese automakers themselves.
This year, the 2025 Japan Mobility Expo will be held in Tokyo from October 29 to November 9. Just like the impact that European automakers faced at the Munich Motor Show two years ago, under the long-term layout and competition of new energy vehicle manufacturers such as BYD and Tesla in Japan, the Japanese automakers at this expo have also begun to accelerate their transformation.
At this expo, Toyota, as the largest automobile manufacturer in Japan and the world, will finally showcase its vision for electrified products at this exhibition.
At this expo, Toyota will launch new models from multiple brands, including Lexus, Century, Gazoo Racing, and Daihatsu.
Toyota's new concept car Toyota official website
According to the information, the Toyota brand will first launch a replacement model for Corolla. The new car may have both pure electric and hybrid power forms, which will adopt a similar strategy to the C-HR and C-HR+ launched by Toyota in Europe; Lexus will also display its new ES sedan, as well as a six-wheel LS van concept car that may be electrified.
Lexus LS Concept Car Toyota official website
Meanwhile, Toyota has not given up on building internal combustion engines and luxury brands. According to Automotive News, Lexus may bring the successor of LFA sports car to this exhibition. In addition, Toyota is also separating its top model series "Century", and creating a new independent ultra-luxury brand, aiming to compete with brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley. At this exhibition, Century will also launch a new coupe concept car.
Honda's Exhibition Concept Image Honda official website
As the most enthusiastic about electrification transition among Japanese automakers, Honda will showcase two new electric concept cars at this exhibition. One of them will be the third model of the next generation of 0-series electric vehicles. In addition, Honda will also exhibit a prototype of a compact electric vehicle, which will demonstrate Honda's vision for small and easy-to-control electric vehicles.
The company still in operating difficulties, Nissan, will focus on mass-produced products. Nissan said that under the guidance of its "Re:Nissan" strategy, it will fully interpret its strategic vision for an intelligent and sustainable future.
Nissan N7 Nissan official website
The company will launch a new Nissan Elgrand (equipped with the third-generation e-POWER technology) at this exhibition, and introduce the debut of the upgraded version of the Nissan Ariya electric crossover. Nissan also stated that it will fully demonstrate its firm commitment to electrification, including exhibiting the third-generation Nissan Leaf, the Micra exclusive to the European market, as well as global electric vehicle models such as N6/N7 developed in cooperation with the Chinese market.
Mazda will launch two electrified concept cars Mazda official website
Mazda, which is fully moving towards carbon neutrality, will showcase two concept cars at this exhibition. These vehicles will not only represent Mazda's future design direction, but also convey its next-generation power and traditional system technologies.
Mazda said that the company will focus on introducing its algae-based carbon-neutral fuel, as well as efforts in developing carbon capture systems. It is reported that this system can capture emissions while the car is in motion.
Other than the above automakers, Japanese automakers such as Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Suzuki will also bring new electrified models or concept cars at this exhibition. Even Yamaha, which mainly focuses on motorcycles, is making a full transition to electrification. It is reported that among the 16 motorcycle and scooter products brought by Yamaha this year, all types including pure electric, hybrid, and hydrogen are covered.
In just two years, from half-hearted to fully committed to electrification, the transformation of Japanese automakers may not be accidental. According to JATO Dynamics, an industry data and consulting service provider, in 2023, the share of pure internal combustion engine vehicles in the total registration volume of passenger cars in Japan fell below 50% for the first time, and further dropped to 42.3% in 2024. Although it slightly rose to 44.7% in the first half of 2025, the main body of the market has been dominated by electrified powertrains.
Compared to this, the sales of hybrid vehicles have stabilized at a penetration rate of 33.8% in the first half of 2025 after a recent explosive growth. Meanwhile, the market penetration rate of pure electric vehicles was only 1.3% during the same period.
Data source: JATO Dynamics
Currently, the increase in pure electric vehicles in Japan is concentrated in the light vehicle market, which is also an important segment of the Japanese car market. Industry analysis suggests that from the perspective of market changes, Japanese consumers are not unwilling to accept electrified products, but companies lack high-quality products and quantities for consumers. In recent years, the introduction of light electric vehicles by Nissan and Mitsubishi has precisely met the growth of this segment market.
However, in the mid-to-high-end electric vehicle market, due to the hesitation of Japanese automakers, the current increase in this market is still dependent on foreign automakers such as BYD, Tesla, and BMW. Data shows that the registration volume of imported electric vehicles in Japan increased by 45.7% this year.
From the above perspective, the emphasis on electrification by Japanese automakers this year is clearly based on the potential of the Japanese market's transformation, showing their desire to join the competition. However, the foreign automakers who have already entered the Japanese market are not willing to give up the visible "cake".
BYD's micro electric vehicle BYD Japan official website
BYD, which has continuously set new sales records in Japan this year, plans to further increase its investment at this exhibition. According to the BYD Japan official website, it will launch a dedicated micro electric vehicle at the exhibition, which indicates that BYD may develop a new platform specifically for the unique micro-car market in Japan. According to Japanese media reports, the new car may compete with the Nissan Sakura, Mitsubishi eK X EV, and Honda N-One e.
Nexo hydrogen fuel cell crossover Hyundai official website
Also focusing on the Japanese electrification market is the Korean automaker Hyundai. Both Hyundai and its corporate brand will bring new electrified models at this exhibition. Among them, Hyundai will launch the Nexo hydrogen fuel cell crossover; Kia brand will launch a series of electric commercial van models built according to the "Beyond Vehicle Platform" strategy.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7564730184105067027/
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