Society

Toyota finally has an EV and it's perfectly OK

Apr 13 (CNN) - Electric vehicles have reached a key milestone on the road to becoming ubiquitous. That's because Toyota, America's best-selling automaker, is now selling one.

You might be surprised to learn that Toyota hasn't, before now, sold a widely available, real electric vehicle in America. But they have not. Not really. Toyota, a pioneer in hybrids with the Prius — the name means "To go before" in Latin — hasn't been "going before" with electric vehicles. Tesla, Nissan, General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia and others have all beat Toyota to market with electric vehicles.

There were two generations of Toyota Rav4 EVs, but those weren't available nationwide and, besides, they were really just regular Rav4 SUVs fitted with batteries and electric motors. The second generation of Rav4 EVs had Tesla, not Toyota, stuff inside. Toyota has long had a more conservative view of electric vehicles than some other automakers that have pledged to go all-in, or nearly so, on EVs. Toyota isn't pledging to make nothing but EVs by any set date.

The BZ4X was designed from the outset as an electric crossover SUV. It's not some other vehicle fitted with batteries, a technique that usually results in a sub-standard products. This SUV was engineered in partnership with Subaru, which offers its own electric SUV, the Solterra. Both are based on the same engineering and they even look almost identical.

Source: ANNnewsCH

City of Los Angeles names May 17 Shohei Ohtani Day

or as long as Shohei Ohtani plays for the Dodgers -- which will be at least for the next decade -- May 17 will be known as “Shohei Ohtani Day” in Los Angeles County. (MLB)

Two Die After Consuming Toxic Plant

Two residents of Sapporo who died earlier this month likely succumbed to food poisoning caused by mistakenly consuming toxic autumn crocus, according to the Sapporo City Health Department. The department confirmed on May 17 that the deaths were indeed due to poisoning from this plant.

Japan Approves Joint Custody After Divorce

A revised Civil Code introducing 'joint custody' for children after divorce has been passed by the Diet. This marks the first time in 77 years that Japan has reviewed the approach to post-divorce custody.

'Challenge to Democracy': Tokyo Police Arrest Three Tsubasa Party Leaders

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested three leaders of the political group 'Tsubasa Party' on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act by disrupting the speeches of other candidates during a House of Representatives by-election in Tokyo's 15th district. Investigators view this as a "challenge to democracy" and plan to pursue a thorough investigation.

Experience Future Living in 2050: Space Elevators and Smart Living Rooms

An event allowing visitors to experience life in 2050 has launched in Tokyo, including an elevator which enables transportation to space via a cable extending from a satellite to Earth.

MORE Society NEWS

How is Japan Tackling Epidemic of Elderly Dying Alone?

An estimated 68,000 elderly people die alone in Japan each year, according to recent data. From January to March this year, about 17,000 people aged 65 and over were found deceased in their homes.

80s Pilot Forgets to Lower Landing Gear

A pilot in his 80s explained that he 'forgot to lower the landing gear,' leading to a belly landing of a small propeller plane at Fukui Airport on May 15. The incident has been classified as a "serious incident" by national authorities.

Katase-Enoshima Station Ranked 4th in 'Best Places to Live' Survey

A ranking of the 'most livable places' in the Tokyo metropolitan area has been announced. While the top three remained unchanged from last year, Katase-Enoshima Station made its debut at fourth place in this year's survey.

Explosion in Central Kyoto Injures Two

An explosion in central Kyoto on Thursday morning has left two injured and caused significant disruptions. The scene immediately after the fire was captured on video, with loud sirens blaring and the area filled with thick smoke, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters.