Revolution from Japan: zero emissions even without electric cars, the sector is shocked – Drift

Japan revolutionizes the concept of sustainability. Zero emission cars, but without electric models. What is going on.

Environmental sustainability has now become an indispensable requirement, also for the motor industry. For decades, cars have been one of the main sources of pollution on a global level, but fortunately for some time now there has been an attempt to correct the trend by moving towards the production of low-emission models.

In much of the world, the search for sustainability has translated into strong investments in the electric car sector. Today these zero-emission cars are very popular practically everywhere, and in the future they are destined to have an increasingly important role, especially given the various regulations promoted by governments which are pushing towards a progressive abandonment of cars with traditional engines.

Sustainability has become synonymous with electric, we were saying. For everyone, except Japan: the Asian giant has in fact chosen its own way of moving towards the world of zero emissions.

Electric, Japan against the current?

When it comes to engines, Japan has always been synonymous with innovation. The country of the Rising Sun has been able to make its way into the international market thanks to its incredible technologies and the ability to always look to the future of its brands. Da Toyota a Mazda, e poi Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Honda, Suzuki: each with its own characteristics, all in the name of progress.

Yet, electric vehicles are struggling to gain a foothold in the Japanese country, both in terms of corporate strategy and from the point of view of sales and citizens’ choice. China, the United States and even Europe, where even electric vehicles are struggling to gain a foothold, would be ahead in the race to zero emissions at a first glance. But is it really possible that the country of technology and innovation has allowed the future of industry to be stolen from under its nose?

The country of the Rising Sun was among the first to invest in the sustainability sector, and to place the environmental issue at the center of each of its production projects. They were among the first, for example, to bring hybrid technology to the market, and to make electric “mainstream” and accessible to all. Research has moved (and continues to move) in every field, up to alternative fuels such as hydrogen and e-fuels.

But then why is electric struggling to spread? The answer is philosophy followed by the Japanese industry, in contrast with that of other countries. The British newspaper Autocar explained the different way of understanding the goal of zero emissions for the Japanese in Tokyo. Simply, respecting the environmental requirements and the set target from an emissions point of view is more than sufficient, without necessarily having to go full electric.

The hybrid models and the “Kei Car” features, mini cars very widespread in the country, are more than sufficient to achieve the goal, saving a lot from an economic point of view (given that most of the energy in Japanese territory is imported) and at the same time respecting the environment. Meanwhile, research and solutions continue to move in multiple directions. Why, then, necessarily focus only on electric just because it happens in the rest of the world?