All Charged Up and Nowhere to Go? Japanese Giants Meet Tesla at Last!
Ah, the automotive world! The realm where I've kicked the tires of countless vehicles, from the ear-splitting growl of gasoline engines to the soft hum of electric. Now, after spending decades zigzagging around gas-guzzling monsters and diesel daredevils, I'm wading into the universe of electric chariots. And what a time it is!
Japanese automakers, it appears, are finally ready to wade into the electric game, with a resounding... slight whisper? A tad bit late, if you ask me, considering Tesla's already gallivanting around with their high-tech gizmos, leaving dust trails for everyone else. It’s like turning up to a 90s rave with a Walkman in 2023!
First off, we have Toyota and their solitary electric offering, the bZ4X. It’s a sweet deal at $42,000 (in the USA) for a 252-mile range (that's about 405 km for you metric folks). Its luxurious cousin, Lexus, is still tapping its feet, perhaps pondering if they should go electric or reinvent the wheel.
Subaru, not to be left out, trots in with their Solterra SUV. Yours for $45,000 with a 220-mile (354 km) electric embrace. Mind you, they’re also hinting at a new electric sportscar concept. They claim it embodies the joy of electric age travel. Joy, you say? Can it match the exhilaration of a good old V8 roar? We shall see.
Now, Nissan, ah, Nissan. You were once the prodigious child of the EV world with the Leaf. Remember 2010? I do. But, since then, the innovation train seems to have slowed down. Their luxury badge, Infiniti, might just catch up...in 2026. Yep, you read that right.
However, it isn't all desolate in the Land of the Rising Sun! The Japan Mobility Show 2023 in Tokyo is about to get electrifying. With the leading Japanese automakers pulling up their sleeves to reveal their electric ambitions, things are looking bright. Well, moderately illuminated, at least.
Our friends at Subaru will introduce us to their Sport Mobility Concept sportscar. "Enjoyment in the age of electrification," they say. I say, let's hope it doesn't turn out to be another family car in a sportscar's clothing.
Toyota, meanwhile, is rolling out the red carpet for Lexus' electric lineup. Sports car, hatchback, and oh! A VR experience! Ah, the future. Where you can drive without actually driving. Though, if I'm being honest, nothing quite compares to the wind in your hair and the hum of the road beneath.
And Infiniti? A concept vehicle. A "Vision Qe." It seems to promise quite a vision with a Porsche-esque rear. By the time it hits the market, I might need reading glasses to see it.
In conclusion, while I'm tickled pink that our Japanese friends are plugging into the electric scene, a part of me can't help but wonder: are they fashionably late or just...late? Only time, range, and battery longevity will tell. Stay charged, my friends!
Yours truly,
Captain Electro
