global electric motor cars pricing guide?

Crystal O

Answer
There are only a few electric cars on the market - but more are coming in the next few years. The most interesting cars, available next year:
*
The Tesla electric sports car gets 250 miles to the charge, goes 130mph, and 0-60 in four seconds. It charges in 3-1/2 hours. Cost, probably $85,000.
http://www.teslamotors.com
*
The Miles XS200 is a Chinese import. It gets 200 miles to the charge, and goes 80mph. Retails for $28,500.
http://www.milesautomotive.com/products_xs200.html
*
Others on the drawing board:
*
From China: The Happy Messenger - only costs $10000, goes 150 miles per charge:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/12/chinese_ev_comp.html
*
Also from China: the BYD car, designed to be affordable, with a 250-mile range:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=106930
*
The GEO EV, from Korea. It goes 155 miles on a three hour charge:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200505/18/200505182238171109900090609062.html
*
Also from Korea. The ENERGINE Electric-Pneumatic hybrid.
It runs on air and electricity. No gasoline:
http://www.energine.com/e_main.php
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From Japan. The Subaru R1E. Charges to 90% in 5 minutes:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8995780
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Also from Japan. The Mitsubishi Colt EV, retails under $18,000.
http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/corporate/detail1269.html

Is today's race results newsworthy in Japan?

bigwheels1

Is Toyota's first win in the Sprint Cup series big news in Japan? Surely with their biggest car manufacture competing the series is televised in Japan?

Answer
I'm sure Japan is too busy creating really cool technology that we'll get here in the United States in about 10 years.

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Any news or info on the 2009 Mazda3?

oliverhoro

Answer
The 2009 Mazda 3 is a completely new car based on the EUROPEAN Ford Focus. Pictures, pricing and the press release from Mazda is available:

http://www.zercustoms.com/news/2009-Mazda3-Axela.html

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/design/2009-mazda3-to-preview-carmaker%E2%80%99s-new-design-trend/

http://photocarsonline.com/blog/2008/02/22/2009-mazda3-pricing-announced/ - GOOD PICTURES


Based on this I am going to drive my Pontiac for another 6+ months until it comes out.

Mazda Press Release:

Refined Mazda Axela Goes on Sale in Japan

- Special edition Mazda Axela Sport with a range of sportier features also released -
HIROSHIMA, JapanâMazda Motor Corporation has released updated versions of the Mazda Axela sports compact in Japan. Known as the Mazda3 in overseas markets, the Mazda Axela has earned high praise both in Japan and abroad. All models in the range â including the four-door 2009 Mazda3 Axela, five-door 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport and Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela â feature fresh improvements and are available from today at all Mazda, Mazda Anfini and Mazda Autozam dealerships nationwide. Two new special edition versions of the 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport, the 23HS and 20HS, which come outfitted with equipment to enhance their sporty pedigree, also go on sale from today.
Exterior design modifications such as chrome door handles and expanded use of black molding on the rear bumper enlivens the 2009 Mazda3 Axelaâs appearance.*1 Interior quality has also been enhanced with the addition of piano black parts*2 on the center panel, power window switch bezels and other areas, and chrome parts for some levers and buttons. Reduced cabin noise and higher comfort levels have been achieved through the increased use of sound absorbent materials.

The 2009 Mazda3 Axela 20E model grade is a new addition to the range. It offers enhanced
quality and comfort thanks to exclusive sand-beige combination Alcantara®*3 seat covers with genuine leather trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, blackout meters and other sporty, well-crafted extras as standard equipment.

The special editions 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23HS and 20HS come with a full complement of sports equipment including 17-inch reflective aluminum wheels, exclusive aluminum pedals, a floating rear roof spoiler and a BOSE® sound system.*4 These models also come with black
Alcantara® and genuine leather combination seat covers and Alcantara® door trim.

Manufacturerâs suggested retail prices vary from 1,510,750 to 2,070,000 yen for the 2009 Mazda3 Axela and from 1,510,750 to 2,410,000 for the 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport (each price includes consumption tax).

*1: Standard equipment on the 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S and 20S grades.
*2: Standard equipment on the 2009 Mazda3 Axela 20S and 20E, 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S and 20S, and Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela.
*3: ALCANTARA® is a registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A.
*4: Standard equipment on the 23HS. Available as a factory-installed option on the 20HS.

Main features of the refined Mazda Axela
Exterior

- Expanded use of black molding on the rear bumper which creates a stronger sense of sportiness [2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S & 20S]
- Chrome outer door handles (previously colored to match the vehicle exterior) [2009 Mazda3 Axela 20S, 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S & 20S]
- Newly-added roof spoiler [standard on 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 20C, optional on 15C]
- Dark tinted glass (rear door, rear quarter and liftgate windows) [2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 20S & 20C]
- 17-inch reflective aluminum wheels and 205/50R17 89V tires [2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S]

Interior

The following equipment now comes as standard:

- Piano black panels (center panel, instrument panel side garnish, steering wheel switch bezels and power window switch bezels) [2009 Mazda3 Axela 20S & 20E, 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S & 20S, Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela]
- Chrome inner door handles and parking brake lever button [all grades except 15F]
- Driver and passenger seat vanity mirrors (with light) [2009 Mazda3 Axela 20S & 20E, 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S, 20S & 20C, Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela]
- Advanced keyless entry and engine starter system

Body and Chassis

To complement the high grade features, a bonnet insulator to reduce engine noise, as well as sound absorbent material in the doors and floor have been newly added for a quieter cabin. Additionally, the 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S features an enlarged floor tunnel member and retuned dampers for improved stability.

Body colors

Two new body colors, Metropolitan Grey Mica and Copper Red Mica, have been added to the body color lineup for the Mazda 2009 Mazda3 Axela, making a total of nine available colors. As well as the existing True Red, the Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela now also offers Crystal White Pearl Mica, Metropolitan Grey Mica and Stormy Blue Mica for a total range of four colors.

Main features of the new 2009 Mazda3 Axela 20E model grade

In addition to the equipment listed above, the following items are standard:

- Sand-beige combination Alcantara® seat covers with genuine leather side trim and matching door trim enhance the high quality feel of the interior
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
- Blackout meters. (The dials and center console have blue indirect lighting.)
- Advanced keyless entry and engine starter system

Main features of the special edition Mazda Axela 23HS and 20HS
Base models

2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport 23S (FWD model with five-speed automatic transmission and 2.3-liter DOHC engine) and 20S (FWD model with five-speed automatic transmission and 2.0-liter DOHC engine)

Special equipment
Exterior

- 17-inch reflective aluminum wheels with 205/50R17 89V tires
- Floating rear roof spoiler (as featured on the Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela)
- Discharge headlights and water repellent coating (windshield, front door windows and door mirrors)

Interior

- Black Alcantara® and genuine leather combination seat covers and Alcantara® door trim
- Custom aluminum pedals
- Stainless steel scuff plates (front)
- Advanced keyless entry and engine starter system
- BOSE® sound system [special equipment on the 23HS, available as a factory-installed option on the 20HS]
Includes an MP3 player and a seven-speaker system, including a 5.25-inch subwoofer, for dynamic sound.

Body colors

Both models are available in Velocity Red Mica and Stormy Blue Mica.

4EC-AT and 5EC-AT are electronically controlled automatic transmissions (all grades except for the 20F have Activematic versions).
- A separate recycling fee is necessary in addition to the manufacturerâs suggested retail prices listed above. The fee is 11,730 yen for Mazda 2009 Mazda3 Axela grades (12,300 yen if the curtain and front side SRS air bag system is selected as a factory-installed option), and 11,860 yen for 2009 Mazda3 Axela Sport grades and the Mazdaspeed 2009 Mazda3 Axela (12,430 yen if the curtain and front side SRS airbags system is selected as a factory-installed option).
- If the special body color, Crystal White Pearl Mica is selected, the price increases by 31,500 yen (including tax).

A separate recycling fee of 11,860 yen is necessary in addition to the manufacturerâs suggested retail prices listed above.
- If the BOSE® sound system is selected as a factory-installed option for the 20HS, the price increases by 68,250 yen (tax included).

it street racing illegal in japan?

JVREVOLUTI

Answer
Good news!

Japan is great!
Although the people don't always speak English they view all foreign things and languages to be superior to their own so - they will try valiantly to speak your language and apologize profusely when they fail miserably. They will do this with a friendly smile because it is part of the culture to be kind.

Also, you will find highly cultured women who although not big breasted like their Western counterparts (much to their embarrassment) are very feminine and enjoy taking care of drunken men of all ages, cooking, cleaning, taking care of babies Etc. They attempt to keep their voices sounding like four year olds because they know men are turned on by girls that age. Oh! Also they are very subservient inside and outside the bedroom.

Men are smaller in size but also very feminine, er I mean masculine. You can often see them practicing ninja moves on the train. They fully acknowledge that all foreign men are superior and are all too happy to provide cars and electronics to the world. They asked me to tell all of you that they love the US very, very deeply.

Street racing? Sure why not. It is illegal but if you want to give it a try go ahead. The police will simply ignore the obvious danger and may in fact cheer you on as you run over old men and little kids diving to get out of your way in crosswalks.

For you and the rest of YA! , Japan is anything you want it to be!

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Why is deflation a bad thing for the Japanese economy?

car news japan image

Pelendra

I'm picking a topic for a paper on Macroeconomics, and I've read a lot about the Japanese economy in the news recently. Unfortunately, these articles only tell me about the current situation, without giving me much background information.

Answer
First, deflation does NOT devalue the currency -- just the opposite, it makes the currency more valuable compared with other things.

Deflation means that prices are going down, and things will be cheaper in the future than they are today; it also means that cash itself becomes more valuable and is therefore a good investment. And those two factors cause problems.

Think about it: why would you buy things you don't absolutely need today, such as an iPod or a new car or extra clothes, when you know they'll be cheaper next month? It's like finding out there will be a big sale at your favorite store next week -- you won't buy stuff today, you'll wait to get the better deal later. Deflation causes this effect in the wider economy: people put off buying stuff becuase they know it'll only get cheaper if they wait ... and wait ... and wait. The result is a fall in consumer demand and slower or negative economic growth.

It's not just that growth numbers will look bad. What happens if you're a business and you realize your sales are falling, both from prices falling and from lack of demand? You lay people off. So deflation causes higher unemployment. High unemployment means people have less spending money -- which further reduces demand. Falling prices, lower demand, and unemployment all feed off each other and amplify each other -- it's a death spiral.

Meanwhile, falling prices and shrinking business means interest rates will fall. In Japan they literally fell to zero (actually negative). This harms investment: no one wants stocks because companies are doing poorly; no one wants bonds because interest rates they pay are near-zero and do not compensate for their risk. So it's best just to stash cash in your pillow case -- cash is the best investment. But this is bad for the economy because it means that the few companies out there willing to try to expand their business may find it hard to borrow money -- there is less capital available. So borrowing rates are low, but you can't get qualified for a loan. All and all deflation is absolutely a bad thing -- and actually Japan is lucky things didn't get worse for them.

What is the reasoning for the FED not adjusting the interest rate this week?

Justin H

The news said the FED had been considering a rated cut but decided to hold steady. With some banks hurting right now, why wouldn't they raise interest rates to encourage saving? Is it more important to keep people in the stock and bond markets right now?

Answer
About 70% of the US economy is based on consumer spending. And if these consumers start saving more and spending less. Then the economic recession will become even worse.

Also, a lot of people in USA have a lot of debts, including mortgages, car loans, and credit card debts. And if these people have to pay higher interest rates. Then many of them would go bankrupt.

Perhaps the Fed is afraid to lower the interest rate now just like before. Because you can't lower the interest rate below zero. And it isn't that far from the present 2% down to 0%. Once they lower the interest rate down to zero. Then there is nothing more the Fed can do. And USA will end up in the same situation that Japan ended up in when it lowered its interest rate all the way to zero.

Japan ended up in a long deflationary cycle with falling prices and wages and not much economic growth. And the same thing can happen in USA.

The Great Depression was basically a long deflationary cycle. And it can happen again.

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Should I worry about the miles my car have?

car news japan image

???

My dad just bought my a new used car that has 165k miles on it. Now all of a sudden, he's experiencing "Buyer's remorse". He thinks he spent too much money on the car. Good news runs VERY well and there's nothing to worry about in the present time being. He has me paranoid now and I don't know what to think.

Answer
For a lot of cars, 300,000 miles is the usual EOL (end of life) point -- not just mechanically, but to a point where the car costs money to run and doesn't use gas as efficiently. If you bought a Honda or Toyota or any other brand that originates from Japan, you probably will be fine up until 300,000 or even more; as long as the car was maintained consistently.

If you got a Pontiac or a Chrysler or a Ford, it could run until 300,000, but may be less likely to due to reliability issues that are commonly found in some cars.

How much will Toyota car prices rise?

gest4sumfu

I'm planning on purchasing a 2011 Toyota Rav4 this June. Buying earlier is not really an option. News reports say that the prices will increase due to the crisis in Japan. I'm wondering how much more ($ or percent) these prices will rise. I'm looking for responses from qualified people (car salesmen, Toyota company workers, etc.) Thanks!

Answer
The popular models like the Prius, Corolla and RAV4 will go up as supply falls in the coming weeks.

Whether they will still be inflated by June will depend on whether the plants are operating at full capacity by that time. Worst case scenario - there may not even be a RAV4 available for you to buy.

Sure the vehicles can be built in other plants, but a number of the parts ultimately come from Japan. If they aren't producing those parts, then the vehicles cannot be completed.

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