JMS hangover
It has been a week since I attended the opening of the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo from Oct. 23 to 28 upon the invitation of Toyota and Lexus, but memories of some of the exhibits at the JMS and the activities arranged by my host still linger and deserve further comment.
This year’s JMS was a transformed version of the past bi-annual Tokyo Motor Show that basically centered on automotive vehicles that were primarily powered by fossil fuels, with the hybrid models first released in 1997 in Japan and worldwide distribution only by 2000.
Acceptance of hybrid vehicles has been slow in the Philippines in the past decade, primarily due to the high cost of the vehicles. Conventional fuel-powered vehicles still basically dominate the local market, but the global push for “sustainability” has seen a more concerted push for the adoption of EVs in the country.
The gray market, battery-operated EVs have become popular in the Philippines, primarily the cheap China-produced small motorbikes and trikes that can be recharged at home. More EVs have also been introduced by Toyota and Lexus, and by other Japanese car manufacturers in the Philippines — such as Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan and other foreign brands – but again the cost of EVs is still a barrier, as well as the lack of charging infrastructure for the battery-operated vehicles as the EVs need specialized stations and plugs for a quick charge.
There is also a lot of uncertainty for Filipino EV car buyers on the longevity, repair and upkeep of the new technology vehicles, specifically with the availability of knowledgeable technicians and parts supply. It is well known that except for Toyota, which to my opinion has the best after-sales service and parts availability in the country, several other local car makers have run into troublesome maintenance support and supply part availability that have resulted in months-long wait for customers.
In fact, during the pre-JMS opening roundtable with members of international media from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and India, top officials of Toyota Motors Corp. admitted their concerns about the “critical” shortage of battery supply, with the reality that China controls more than 90 percent of the rare earth metals production, and following its spat with the United States, has been imposing export controls on the sale of the necessary components for batteries, as well as microchips.
Again, it was comforting to hear from top TMC officials that such concerns are being addressed through their multi-pathway approach to offering alternative technology such as hydrogen and biogas fuel, and with their cost-conscious IMV O or International Multi-purpose Vehicle program for customizable commercial applications.
Mobility vehicles
Two outstanding exhibits for me during the JMS was Honda’s concept mobility device, the UNI-ONE, which was for me a wheelchair on steroids and was lots of fun, but would be a game changer if it is ever sold commercially for the elderly, people with disabilities, or even for people who don’t like to walk long distances.
It has been developed by Honda Robotics and contains some of the most sophisticated technology involving gyros and weight sensors for stability and intuitive motion and speed control. It also has an air suspension system that elevates the rider/user to be able to communicate at eye-level with most other people.
It was also very helpful that Honda provided an English-speaking translator to better communicate with the exhibit representative and foreign exhibit goers and help interpret some of the more technical aspects that a Honda engineer also could provide on the spot.
However, Honda Robotics, in past motor shows had also showcased robotic butlers which are now actually in mainstream use in hotels and restaurants.
Another exhibitor which is actually scheduled to launch its tie-up with Ayala-led Globe next week is Taiwan-based Gogoro e-bike. Gogoro is basically a battery-operated e-bike. While the buyer buys the e-bike, its battery is a fee-based subscription arrangement whereby the users merely swap the batteries needed to power the bike rather than charging it themselves. The arrangement allows Gogoro to ensure the reliability of the batteries at all times.
The motoring experience
It was great to reunite with the motoring beat reporters and reminisce about our previous Tokyo Motor Show experiences. There was a lot of laughter and competition to prove who had the longest span of participation, with some able to show proof of their TMS accreditation badge and other memorabilia of their coverage that they have kept. It was also refreshing to meet the newbies to the coverage, with more extensive participation by digital content producers and influencers and ambassadors, such as race car driver and Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Marlon Stockinger and radio and TV personality Sam YG who both provided the “pogi” and fun factor to this year’s JMS team.
Marlon, at 32, has been an ambassador for Toyota’s Gazoo Racing, helping prove the capability and durability of Toyota’s Cross hybrid vehicle. He is hoping to convince Toyota to support his dream to participate in the world-famous Le Mans 2024 which, he says, would cap his racing career. As he was my seatmate on the flight to Tokyo, it was also interesting to learn his love for Philippine cuisine, particularly sinigang.
Sam YG was a witty and fun travel companion, providing us with a lot of laughs.
The Toyota-Lexus team, however, tweaked this year’s motoring experience by offering some fun and experiential activities that would cater to the digital content creators, apart for the traditional motor show exhibit. First off, we became certified sushi makers and enjoyed a bit of sake pairing. We got to make our own sushi (and eat them too) and got to taste sake that would complement the salmon and shrimp sushi. However, I would have gladly foregone the sushi making and would have just enjoyed watching the sushi masters and just gorged on their creation.
The second activity was a traditional Japanese sugar candy carving session that proved to be quite a challenge for basically all of us, proving that we should just stick to our day jobs and avoid anything that involves artistic creativity with potentially dangerous material (hot taffy) and sculpting scissors!
What we missed most this time around was the opportunity to test drive Toyota’s new vehicles, an experience we had previously enjoyed at the world-renowned Fuji Speedway, with the iconic view of Mt. Fuji, and trying out the initial iteration of the Toyota Mirae, as well as the Land Cruiser and Corolla models. In another motor show, we got to test out the Lexus’ assistive driving features in Yokohama.
Of course, a motoring experience is never complete without a test drive.
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