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Customer LoginsToyota and Subaru launch updated models in Japan, Honda to add all-new EV by 2018 globally
Toyota and Subaru have launched updated and next-generation models in Japan, while Honda has announced its future electric vehicle plans.
IHS Markit perspective:
- Significance:Toyota and Subaru have recently released four updated and next-generation models in Japan. Honda meanwhile has revealed plans to launch new electric vehicles (EVs) in 2018, with one exclusively for the Chinese market.
- Implications:The updates will help to keep the sport utility vehicle and minivehicle models contemporary and competitive. Meanwhile, Honda's EV plans are part of its recently revealed mid-term "Vision 2030" strategy. According to IHS Markit data, sales of Toyota's Harrier are expected to improve to 47,425 units in 2017, while sales of its Pixis Epoch are expected to reach 13,163 units this year.
- Outlook:The two new Honda EVs will be developed by the company's new Electric Vehicle Development Division, established in October 2016. The latest move by Honda is in line with its ambitious electrification goal, calling for two-thirds of its global sales to be derived from greenvehicles such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fuel-cell vehicles, and EVs by 2030.
Toyota and Subaru have recently released four updated and next-generation models in Japan. Honda meanwhile has revealed plans to launch new electric vehicles (EVs) in 2018, with one exclusively for the Chinese market.
Toyota
Toyota introduced an updated Harrier sport utility vehicle (SUV) yesterday (8 June) in Japan, according to a company press release. Key updates to the vehicle include the addition of a new 2.0-litre 8AR-FTS turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, joining the existing 2.0-litre 3ZR-FAE Valvematic engine and 2.5-litre 2AR-FXE Atkinson-cycle engine (fitted in the hybrid variant).
The newly added turbo engine produces 235 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque and is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. In terms of safety features, all variants come with Toyota's Safety Sense P active safety suite, including pre-collision system with vehicle and pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, and lane departure alert with steering assist function. Toyota aims to sell 2,500 units of the new Harrier a month. The model is priced between JPY2.94 million (USD26,826) and JPY4.95 million, and is sold through Toyopet stores throughout the country.
The automaker also rolled out the next-generation Pixis Epoch minivehicle in the country last month. Available in a total of four grades - B, L, X, and G - the vehicle is powered by a 660cc KF engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and with the option of two-wheel drive (2WD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). A Smart Assist III collision avoidance assist system comes as standard on all models with improved emergency brakes and automatic high beams that can detect pedestrians at speeds of 30 to 50 km/h. Furthermore, the vehicle claims to achieve fuel efficiency of 34.2 km/l, under the Japanese government's JC08 fuel economy test cycle. The vehicle is sold through more than 200 Toyota dealerships nationwide. The price of the model has been kept between JPY842,400 and JPY1.33 million.
Subaru
Subaru introduced the new Pleo Plus minivehicle in Japan last month, according to a company press release. Available in a total of eight grades, the vehicle is powered by a 660cc KF engine mated to a CVT, and with the option of 2WD or 4WD. Key features includes a Smart Assist III collision avoidance assist system, which is fitted as standard on all models. The price of the model has been kept between JPY896,400 and JPY1.35 million, including consumption tax. The company expects to sell 600 units of the model monthly in Japan. Separately, according to a report by the Nikkei, Subaru plans to launch an updated version of the Levorg wagon in the country during August. The vehicle is expected to come equipped with a self-driving system that operates on a single-lane highway. The price of the vehicle may go up by JPY20,000-100,000.
Honda
Honda has revealed plans to launch two new EV models by 2018 as it seeks to expand its offerings in this segment, reports the Nikkei, citing Honda chief executive officer (CEO) Takahiro Hachigo. Of the two, the first EV is being developed specifically for China, where the government is incentivising plug-in hybrids and EVs in order to reduce pollution. According to a previous report, the "China-only" EV will go on sale in 2018 and will be made under the Guangzhou Honda Automobile Company, a joint venture between Honda and Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Industry Corporation. The second EV model will be sold globally. When asked about the details of the global EV, Hachigo said it would feature "a high-density, lightweight battery pack, integrated heat management and the evolution of energy transfer functions - both to and from the vehicle". He also suggested that the powertrain layout "will enable greater freedom in the design of vehicle packaging". The car is expected to be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show (Germany) this September.
Outlook and implications
Sold as a Japan-only model, the Harrier has been a key Toyota offering in the high-end crossover SUV arena since its debut in 1997. Known for its advanced technologies and features, the second-generation Harrier became the first vehicle to use Toyota's proprietary Pre-collision System in 2003. The current-generation Harrier, launched in December 2013, also incorporates Toyota's key advanced safety features, including a Toyota-first Panoramic View Monitor for improved lateral visibility, a Lane Departure Alert (LDA) system, a Pre-collision System (with millimeter-wave radar), and Drive-start Control as standard on all trims. According to IHS Markit data, sales of the SUV reached 41,408 units in 2016, down 30.0% year on year (y/y). With the latest upgrades, we expect sales to improve to 47,425 in 2017. Meanwhile, the Pixis Epoch is the fourth vehicle supplied by affiliate Daihatsu to Toyota under a minivehicle original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement reached in September 2010. The Pixis Space launched by Toyota in September 2011 was the first such vehicle, followed by the Pixis Van and Pixis Truck in December that year. The second-generation model marks a change from the D91B platform to the D91B(2) platform, according to our data. Japanese sales of the Pixis Epoch declined 16.2% y/y to 7,220 units in 2016, and are expected to reach 13,163 units in 2017.
Daihatsu will also supply the Pleo to Subaru as part of an OEM deal. Japanese sales of the Pleo declined 11.0% y/y to 6,548 units in 2016, and are expected to reach 6,976 units in 2017. The revamped Levorg is expected to benefit from the self-driving system, which builds upon Subaru's EyeSight driver-assistance technology introduced in 2010 and uses two cameras to detect lane markers and a vehicle ahead. It controls the steering to stay in the centre of the lane, as well as using acceleration and braking to maintain a proper distance from the vehicle in front.
Honda's EV plans are part of its recently revealed mid-term "Vision 2030" strategy. The automaker aims to develop cars with "level 4" autonomous driving by 2025, mainly by developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can mimic human behaviour by reading road conditions without the need for high-precision maps. Key priorities for Honda include developing new driving technologies, robotics- and AI-driven services, and new energy solutions. Additionally, the automaker seeks to boost co-ordination between research and development (R&D), procurement, and manufacturing to cut development costs. Honda also plans to offer its advanced safety driving support system, Honda Sensing, on more of its production vehicles. The two new EVs will be developed by Honda's new Electric Vehicle Development Division, established in October 2016. The latest move is in line with Honda's ambitious electrification goal, calling for two-thirds of its global sales to be derived from green vehicles such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, fuel-cell vehicles, and EVs by 2030.
According to IHS Markit automotive forecasting analyst Satomi Hamada, Honda's EV plans includes launching Vezel-based battery electric vehicles (BEV) in China by the end of 2018, to comply with new energy vehicle (NEV) regulations; a B-segment BEV in Europe in 2019 to comply with EU regulations; and a C-segment BEV mainly for the United States in 2022. "To achieve the 2030 electrification goal, Honda will accelerate the development of BEVs/PHVs," added Hamada.
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The above article is from AutoIntelligence Daily by IHS Markit. AutoIntelligence Daily provides same-day analysis of automotive news, events and trends. Get a free trial.