2009 Tokyo Motor Show – Green Cars
October 27, 2009
Written by Evan FitzGerald, in Automotive, Electric Car, Green Business, Green News, Green News Feature, Japan
Within the scope of humanity there are a chosen few who are existed by more than the allure of opposite sex. Well, perhaps there are more than a chosen few. They are an excitable bunch who have piston fire raging through their veins. Some call them petrol-heads, others; car-freaks. Whatever you want to call them; connoisseurs, enthusiasts, afficionados or buffs, they all have one thing in common, a devout love of the automobile.
Throughout the year, car-shows appear at various venues across the globe. From motor city (Detroit) to the city of lights (Paris), every major city seems to play host to an automotive inspired event. While Detroit and Paris are nice, with the eco-friendly, green thinking of both individuals and businesses today, it is the Tokyo Motor Show that reigns supreme.
PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID Concept
The green, low-emission, high-mpg trend has been taken by the Japanese and turned into a world-wide phenomenon.
True to form, many new ideas from the Japanese have been put on display for the public. There are several notable eco-friendly autos worthy of mention. The Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept is the first ever Prius to use lithium-ion batteries, and is capable of being charged from a typical household power outlet.
Honda has tried to make a hybrid car looks appealing with their CR-Z concept. Utilizing Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist Hybrid system, the CR-Z concept is an attempt to corral non- hybrid drivers with a car that is environmentally friendly to drive as well as stylish in a futuristic sense.
In addition to the Pruis Plug-In Concept, Suzuki have unveiled their own plug-in concept, the Swift Plug-in Hybrid. It too uses electricity from a traditional household socket.
While there was a large focus on green motoring for the world at large, there were also a smattering of cars that never make it to American soil. Many of these autos look like what we recognize as smart cars in the U.S.. They have been in Japan for decades, and due to the lack of space are essential to living in cramped environments.
