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Tokyo wants 6k fuel-cell cars from Toyota and Honda for 2020 Olympics

Japan aims to have greener cars on its roads in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the city government there is putting some serious money on the table to make sure that the transformation happens in time. The push could jump start sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) in the metropolis and would portray the Asian country as a leader in the cutting-edge tech. The city is setting aside 45.2 billion yen ($385 million) to offer subsidies for people buying FCEVs and to build 35 hydrogen refueling stations to keep them going, according to Bloomberg. The local government is in talks with Toyota and Honda to have 6,000 fuel cell vehicles on the road in time for the games. These generally expensive factors are often considered some of the biggest hurdles for the alternative fuel to take hold. Beyond the 2020 games, the Tokyo government has even more aggressive plans for the alternative fuel. The city's audacious goal is to have 100,000 FCEVs, 100 hydrogen-fueled buses and 80 refueling stations in the capital by 2025, according to Bloomberg. The city wants to offer FCEV buyers incentives as much as about 3 million yen ($25,325) with a third of that money coming from the Tokyo government and the rest from the national government, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, subsides on building refueling stations could be as high as 80 percent in Tokyo, which puts costs more in line with building a traditional gas station. It appears that the demand is already building to make Tokyo's goal a reality. Toyota has received around 1,500 orders for the Mirai, according to Bloomberg. Although, the majority have come from the country's government or fleets. To meet the higher-than-expected demand, the automaker expanded its production facilities by adding two more assembly lines. The launch of Honda's latest FCEV was recently pushed back until March 2016, a year later than originally expected. Related Video: News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Shizuo Kambayashi / AP Photo Government/Legal Green Toyota Car Buying Alternative Fuels Emissions Green Driving Technology Emerging Technologies Hydrogen Cars Sedan toyota mirai tokyo olympics

Former NHTSA chief may lead automaker-backed Takata investigation

An automaker-led effort may see the former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration take on the probe into the Takata airbag inflator disaster. A coalition of at least ten automakers is in talks with former NHTSA administrator David Kelly, with unnamed sources familiar with the discussions telling The Wall Street Journal he is "among those we are considering to coordinate" the investigation.The Detroit News, meanwhile, is reporting he could be hired "in the coming days." Takata, the Japanese seatbelt and airbag manufacturer, has been the center of a defect scandal since last year. Takata is under fire for air bag inflators that can explode, shooting out metal and plastic pieces. At least five deaths and dozens of injuries have been linked to the problem worldwide. Earlier this year, Honda Motor Co., the automaker with the biggest exposure to the defective Takata air bags, was fined $70 million in the U.S. for not reporting to regulators some 1,729 complaints that its vehicles caused deaths and injuries, and for not reporting warranty claims. It was the largest civil penalty levied against an automaker. Should he take the role, Kelly would be at the fore of an investigation being assembled by an alliance of ten automakers, which includes the Detroit Three and Honda. Toyota first suggested a joint investigation back in December, The Journal reports. Kelly's goals, meanwhile, will be many. The Detroit News reports that questions abound regarding not only the recalled airbag inflators and the conditions that cause them to fail, but the whether the replacement units will have similar problems in the future. The automaker committee is far from the only one analyzing the airbag issue. Takata has assembled its own panel, led by former Secretary of Transportation Samuel Skinner, while NHTSA's deputy administrator, David Friedman, has brought in an outside engineering firm to investigate the inflators, The Detroit News reports. Separately, on Friday Takata Corp., the Japanese seatbelt and air-bag maker at the center of a defect scandal, is expecting more red ink for the fiscal year through March. It is projecting a 31 billion yen ($264 million) loss, worse than the previous forecast for a 25 billion yen ($214 million) loss, despite higher sales expected for the fiscal year. Ten automakers have recalled about 12 million vehicles in the U.S. and about 19 million globally for problems with the air bags.

Bring back the Bronco! Trademarks we hope are actually (someday) future car names

Trademark filings are the tea leaves of the auto industry. Read them carefully – and interpret them correctly – and you might be previewing an automaker's future product plans. Yes, they're routinely filed to maintain the rights to an iconic name. And sometimes they're only for toys and clothing. But not always. Sometimes, the truth is right in front of us. The trademark is required because a company actually wants to use the name on a new car. With that in mind, here's a list of intriguing trademark filings we want to see go from paperwork to production reality. Trademark: Bronco Company: Ford Previous Use: The Bronco was a long-running SUV that lived from 1966-1996. It's one of America's original SUVs and was responsible for the increased popularity of the segment. Still, it's best known as O.J. Simpson's would-be getaway car. We think: The Bronco was an icon. Everyone seems to want a Wrangler-fighter – Ford used to have a good one. Enough time has passed that the O.J. police chase isn't the immediate image conjured by the Bronco anymore. Even if we're doing a wish list in no particular order, the Bronco still finds its way to the top. For now (unfortunately), it's just federal paperwork. Rumors on this one can get especially heated. The official word from a Ford spokesman is: "Companies renew trademark filings to maintain ownership and control of the mark, even if it is not currently used. Ford values the iconic Bronco name and history." Trademarks: Aviator, AV8R Company: Ford Previous Use: The Aviator was one of the shortest-run Lincolns ever, lasting for the 2003-2005 model years. It never found the sales success of the Ford Explorer, with which it shared a platform. We Think: The Aviator name no longer fits with Lincoln's naming nomenclature. Too bad, it's better than any other name Lincoln currently uses, save for its former big brother, the Navigator. Perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree, though. Ford has made several customized, aviation themed-Mustangs in the past, including one called the Mustang AV8R in 2008, which had cues from the US Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jet. It sold for $500,000 at auction, and the glass roof – which is reminiscent of a fighter jet cockpit – helped Ford popularize the feature. Trademark: EcoBeast Company: Ford Previous Use: None by major carmakers.