October 9, 2020

　Honda has announced that it will withdraw from Formula One (F1) at the end of the 2021 season. The company stated that, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, it will focus its management resources on electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

　Mazda has launched the "MX-30," a compact SUV equipped with the "e-SKYACTIV G" engine, which incorporates the company's proprietary mild hybrid system. The EV model is scheduled to go on sale in the Japanese market in January 2021.

　Sharp announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Germany’s Daimler regarding patents related to wireless communication standards, including LTE. Sharp had prevailed in a German patent infringement lawsuit it had filed against Daimler, and it has been reported that the two companies have reached a settlement through this licensing agreement.

　Mitsubishi Motors andMC Retail Energy, a retailer of residential electricity, announced that they will launch a demonstration project in October aimed at implementing dynamic pricing, following their selection for a demonstration project solicited by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The project aims to optimize charging times for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). Additionally, Mitsubishi Motors launched “Ultra My Car Plan,” a monthly flat-rate subscription service for new cars, in October.

　JR East,Toyota Motor Corporation,and Hitachi, Ltd. have agreed to jointly develop a test vehicle equipped with a hybrid system powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery. They plan to begin demonstration tests in Kanagawa Prefecture around March 2022.

　SEED Holdings, with Fukuoka Toyota Motor as its core company, has launched the “Yokamachi Mirai Project,” a collaboration among more than 50 companies and organizations in northern Kyushu aimed at revitalizing the region through MaaS. The project will introduce five types of mobility services, including on-demand buses and car-sharing.

　Mitoyo City in Kagawa Prefecture, the Mitoyo City Council of Social Welfare, and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. have signed a three-party partnership agreement to launch a pilot project for a joint transportation service in the social welfare and long-term care sectors. The project has been selected for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Project to Promote the Creation of New Regional MaaS.”

　The Aisin Group has expanded the service area for “Choisoko,” a shared ride service that supports the mobility of senior citizens and other residents, to include Okazaki City in Aichi Prefecture and Goto City in Nagasaki Prefecture starting in October, bringing the total number of locations nationwide to 10.

　Overseas, the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) — an international organization comprising approximately 100 companies and organizations, including Honda, Hitachi, and General Motors—has released global standards for use cases such as V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid). Moving forward, the initiative will conduct pilot projects to establish a system that enables the exchange of electricity between electric vehicles and the power grid.

　Toyota MotorCorporation and Hino Motors have announced that they will jointly develop a fuel cell (FC)-powered heavy-duty truck for the North American market. They plan to develop a prototype in the first half of 2021 and proceed with evaluation.

　In addition, it has been reported that Tesla has reached an agreement to acquire ATW Automation, a German company that manufactures battery packs and modules for vehicles.

　In Europe, Germany’s Mercedes-Benz announced that it will cut investments in gasoline-powered vehicles and other areas to focus its management resources on electrification, and that it aims to reduce costs—including labor expenses—by 20 percent by 2025 compared to 2019 levels.