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Japanese automakers ramping production for renewed American sales

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan took quite the toll on the automotive industry in that nation. Not content to lean on that tragedy as excuse for slagging sales, the Japanese automakers are planning on a major production expansion in North America. The aim is to reclaim the market share lost from the Tsunami-based dip, and overcome a dollar/yen exchange rate that makes exporting to America unprofitable.
Following the Tsunami, Japanese automakers ramped up production in their North American facilities to compensate, but according to Automotive News, Nissan, Honda and others have all reported plans for still-further increased production in the year ahead. As part of this ramp-up, Mazda will open a facility in Salamnca, Mexico before March of 2014. Part of that increase in output is 50,000 units of a Toyota-badged compact car, which Mazda will produce.
Other Mexican production facilities opening include a Honda plant, which will open in Spring 2014 in Celaya, and a Nissan plant, set to open later this year in Aguascalientes. Nissan also said that it will need another plant in North America within the next five years. According to Nissan Boss Carlos Ghosn, the company aims to raise its stake in the US market from 8 percent to 10, and adding production will help achieve that goal. Even Mitsubishi is aiming to boost production at its Normal, Illinois plant. Production of the Outlander Sport is currently at 50,000, which Mitsubishi wants to raise to 70,000.

2019 Nissan Altima vs Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry: How they compare

NEW YORK — Midsize family sedans may be losing sales to small SUVs, but hundreds of thousands of the things still left dealerships last year. The 2019 Nissan Altima introduced here at the New York Auto Show replaces one of the segment's best sellers, joining a pair of other best-sellers, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which were both redesigned last year. The Hyundai Sonata also received a surprisingly thorough refresh for 2018. Therefore, the segment is fresher than ever, providing car shoppers who haven't been evangelized by the mighty SUV an excellent group of choices. To help them, or you, out in that family sedan search, here's how the new 2019 Altima compares to the 2018 Honda Accord, 2018 Toyota Camry, 2018 Hyundai Sonata, and for reference, its 2018 Altima predecessor. Cue the spreadsheet! Engines and Transmissions The Altima once again has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, but Nissan indicates that 80 percent of it is new. Regardless of its newness, it is more powerful, boasting an extra 9 hp and 3 lb-ft of torque. Frankly, that's not much compared to the Camry's and Accord's gains, which also better the new Altima. Uniquely, though, the Altima's base 2.5-liter is available with all-wheel drive – something only the Subaru Legacy offers (albeit as standard equipment). Oddly, all-wheel drive is NOT available with the Altima's bigger 2.0-liter turbo. Ah yes, that turbo engine. Gone is the familiar 3.5-liter V6, leaving Toyota as the lone V6 hold-out (again, the Legacy is another exception, albeit with a flat-6). As is typical, the Altima's new 2.0-liter turbo inline-4 produces less horsepower than its naturally aspirated predecessor, but it has considerably more torque. Its output essentially matches the Accord's new 2.0-liter. Unlike the Accord, though, every Altima has a CVT standard. The Camry and Sonata have traditional automatics – many would say they are better for it – though the Hyundai's gear count differs by engine selection. Nissan didn't release fuel economy figures for the 2019 Altima. The previous generation trailed the latest Accord and Camry by 2-3 mpg combined, according to EPA estimates. Passenger Space Nissan's surly men in suits were quite cross when we tried to get into the new Altima, so we can only comment on the interior space in spec format. As it is, the new Altima actually has less head- and legroom than before. There's more shoulder room, though, so your local linebacker will be happy.

Toyota claims hydrogen fuel cell breakthrough

Platinum isn't cheap. And it's a necessary component of hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Which means that Toyota's recent discovery of a way to better analyze how platinum breaks down is a bit of an H2 vehicle breakthrough. Toyota worked with the Japan Fine Ceramics Center (JFCC) to observe nanometer-sized platinum particles and, specifically, how they deteriorate. Platinum is used as a catalyst for when electrons are stripped away from the hydrogen molecule to create an electrical charge and when hydrogen ions and electrons mix with oxygen to create water vapor. So, when platinum gets more course during the countless chemical reactions inside of fuel cells, things slow down. Now that Toyota says it's figured out a better way to observe this process, greater efficiency and durability within the fuel-cell process of electricity production are likely to follow, though more chemistry study will be needed to figure out how that will work. Still, it's topical because Toyota last year started producing the world's first production hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. The Japanese automaker debuted sales of the Mirai fuel-cell vehicle in Japan late last year and plans to start selling the car in California this fall (the car will be priced at $57,500). Toyota also plans to boost Mirai production to about 2,000 units in 2016 from about 700 this year. Take a look at Toyota's documents and video below. R&D Breakthrough Sets Stage for More Efficient, Durable Fuel Cell Stacks Toyota City, Japan, May 18, 2015—A breakthrough in the real-time observation of fuel cell catalyst degradation could lead to a new generation of more efficient and durable fuel cell stacks. Toyota Motor Corporation and Japan Fine Ceramics Center (JFCC) have developed a new observation technique that allows researchers to monitor the behavior of nanometer-sized particles of platinum during chemical reactions in fuel cells, so that the processes leading to reduced catalytic reactivity can be observed. Platinum is an essential catalyst for the electricity-producing chemical reactions occurring between oxygen and hydrogen in fuel cell stacks. Reduced reactivity is the result of "coarsening" of platinum nanoparticles—a process whereby the nanoparticles increase in size and decrease in surface area. Up until now, however, it has not been possible to observe the processes leading to coarsening, making it difficult to analyze the root causes.