Autoblog

Reputation of electric cars takes a hit in Japan due to tsunami aftermath?

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST

Electric vehicle owners like to think of themselves as green, but that color may be taking on a more glowing, radioactive hue in Japan.

The ecologically friendly reputation of electric cars in Japan is taking a hit since last year's meltdowns of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant have made more people concerned about a primary source of electricity throughout the country, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

The meltdown - caused my last March's earthquake and ensuing tsunami - created a 12-mile radius around Fukushima where people are barred because of radiation issues. Before last year's disaster, the Japanese government planned on having nuclear power eventually supply half of the country's electricity, up from a third, but those plans have been put on hold.

Nissan, which has said it expects to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles around the world by 2015, has sold just 12,000 battery-electric Leafs in Japan since launching the model in 2010, according to the report. There have been positive associations drawn between the EV and its role in the earthquake relief efforts (between the Mitsubishi i and the aftermath, too) and Nissan even touted the way some battery packs that were damaged in the quake survived intact.

Rising gas prices make charging an EV in Japan about 90 percent less expensive than filling a tank. That said, electricity prices may spike expenses stemming from fixing the Fukushima plant increase. The higher cost might be the way EVs could get lumped together with nuclear energy in some consumers' minds.

Reputation of electric cars takes a hit in Japan due to tsunami aftermath? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda denies Asimo being modified for nuclear clean up

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Honda

ASIMO is the humanoid robot created by Honda that looks like a diminutive moonman who loves to slowly climb stairs. The four-foot three-inch robot is capable of a lot more than ascending stairways faster than the elderly, however, and rumors were swirling that ASIMO might be outfitted to handle nuclear cleanup duty.

Japan is still recovering from the devastating earthquake that struck on March 11th of this year. One of the most critical areas to receive damage was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was rated a seven on the International Nuclear Event Scale. Seven is the highest rating.

The reactor pools have since been cooled, but the nuclear contamination still needs to be cleaned up, and a Japanese press report stated that Honda was prepping ASIMO for the task. The rumor stated that tank treads would be replace its legs, and more sensitive hands and arms would be utilized so that ASIMO could interact with nuts and bolts. It all sounds quite interesting, but none of it is true according to Honda.

The automaker has stated that, although it's technical research and development team is looking at various uses for robots to help with disasters, it's not ready to convert ASIMO into a nuclear contamination cleaning machine.

Honda denies Asimo being modified for nuclear clean up originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japenese automakers will work on weekends to protect power grid

Chris Shunk — Fri, 20 May 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing

Japan is still struggling to repair itself in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the country's auto industry is looking to help out wherever it can. Automotive News reports that automakers and suppliers will work weekends and take off Thursdays and Fridays in an effort to ease pressure on the nation's power grid. The March 11 earthquake wiped out eight percent of the country's overall electricity capacity, which means that a lot of folks in Japan will need to cut back on consumption during peak summer months.

The auto industry is looking to reduce its electricity use by 15 percent over the summer. The plants will adhere to the new schedule from July through September.

A big part of Japan's energy woes has to do with the closure of the heavily damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, but the facility isn't the only one to close. Chubu Electric Power Co. shut down its nuclear plant to bolster its foundation in preparation for later earthquakes. A government study shows that a magnitude eight earthquake has an 87-percent chance of hitting the region in the next 30 years.

Japenese automakers will work on weekends to protect power grid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quake damaged paint plant comes back online in Japan

Chris Shunk — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Safety

The March 11 earthquake and resultant tsunami in Japan rocked the country's automotive supply chain, leaving many suppliers with damaged factories and unreliable power. One nearly immediate impact was that automakers like Ford, Toyota and Chrysler could no longer offer colors like red or black.

That's because Merck's Onahama factory, which makes the Xirallic pigment used to add luster to colors, was damaged by the natural disaster. But while repairs were scheduled to take longer, The Detroit News reports that the facility was fixed ahead of schedule and production has resumed.

Peter Halas, who heads Pigments and Cosmetics at Merck, said in a statement that the timely repair of the factory was a major achievement, adding "I would like to thank our employees in Japan for their tremendous efforts."

Merck says that the Onahama facility, which is 36 miles south of the badly damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, is outside of the evacuation area, and the company will adhere to public directives to ensure the safety of employees. The company is also testing products from the plant to comply with safety standards.

To help prevent future shortages of Xirallic, Merck says it plans to establish another production site in Germany for the popular pigment.

Quake damaged paint plant comes back online in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See how Nissan checks its cars for radiation

Zach Bowman — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Safety, Videos, Nissan

Nissan radiation testing - Click above to watch video after the jump

Japanese automakers are continuing to test their products for excessive radiation levels as they leave their respective manufacturing facilities and before they're loaded onto container ships for transport. Nissan has released a video detailing the company's radiation check system, which includes monitoring randomly-selected sample group vehicles in three key locations.

Workers measure levels at the vehicles' wheels, the center of the hood and the steering wheel before handing out clean bills of health. So far, all of the company's vehicles have passed without a problem.

Automakers began testing vehicles after the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant despite the fact that most manufacturing locations are situated well away from the ill-stricken facility. The video after the jump follows a few vehicles (including a 370Z and a GT-R) through the test procedure and onto a transportation vessel in port. Click past the jump to watch the full video for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Stephen!

[Source: Integrity Exports]

Continue reading See how Nissan checks its cars for radiation

See how Nissan checks its cars for radiation originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Japanese automakers will test vehicles for radiation before export

Chris Shunk — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:21:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Safety, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota

Japan continues to struggle from the effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and one of the biggest issues facing the nation has been the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant. The facility is now a grade seven nuclear disaster, which puts it on the same scale as the Chernobyl disaster in Russia during the 1980s.

Radiation from the plant has been found in agricultural sources, too, which has prompted 29 countries and regions to suspend or tighten controls on food and dairy products. Bloomberg reports that radiation fears have prompted the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) to begin testing vehicles for radiation prior to shipments at home and abroad. The move follows steps already being taking by Nissan to test all vehicles prior to shipment.

JAMA has mainly decided to perform the radiation checks to calm the nerves of some customers who have asked if their products are still safe, and so far radiation has been negligible. JAMA tells Bloomberg that, at least so far, foreign countries haven't introduced suspensions or strict measures. One container ship was asked to head back to Japan from China after radiation levels of 3.5 microsieverts per hour were detected. The typical X-ray is 100 microsieverts.

[Source: Bloomberg via The Wall Street Journal| Image: AFP/Getty]

Report: Japanese automakers will test vehicles for radiation before export originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the 203-foot truck on its way to save Fukushima's No. 4 reactor

Zach Bowman — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, China, Etc., Japan, Safety, Technology, Work

Sany 203-foot concrete pumper truck - Click above for image gallery

Japan has turned to its neighbor across the water for help in cooling the number four reactor at the Tokyo Electric Company's nuclear power plant in Fukushima. So far, scientists and engineers have used everything from helicopters to fire trucks to get sea water to the reactor's fuel rods in order to prevent a meltdown, but according to China Realtime Report, a Wall Street Journal blog, a new solution is in the works. A 203-foot long concrete pumper truck has been called up from Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany.

Instead of directing a stream of concrete up a sky scraper, this $1 million truck that was originally on its way to a Saudi client will now be used to pump sea water over the 141-foot reactor group in order to keep everything cool. Even at that height, the truck will still be able to remain 14 meters, or about 46 feet, away. Sany says that the truck left port in China on March 20 and has safely reached Japan, though there's no word on whether or not it has begun operations at Fukushima.

Tokyo Electric Company originally offered to purchase the truck, but Sany is donating it and a full support team free of charge, and this isn't the first time that the construction equipment manufacturer has lent a hand in international disaster efforts. The company also donated a giant crane to assist in the evacuation of the Chilean miners who were trapped in a mine last year.

Unfortunately, the very latest update from Japan is that Fukushima's No. 3 reactor is leaking water with 10,000 times the normal level of radiation, which may indicate a breach of the reactor's core. If that's the case, there's no telling how the Sany pump truck will be used when it arrives on site, or if it will be needed at all.

Gallery: Sana Group Co.'s 62-meter truck with contract pump

[Sources: Sany, China Realtime Report, China News]

Continue reading Meet the 203-foot truck on its way to save Fukushima's No. 4 reactor

Meet the 203-foot truck on its way to save Fukushima's No. 4 reactor originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan to check radiation levels on cars tabbed for export

Chris Shunk — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Nissan

As fears of radiation from Japan's severely compromised Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant seem to be growing by the minute, automakers have tried to assure car buyers that most of their products are produced far enough away from the crippled facility that fallout won't end up on vehicles, but a report from Kicking Tires shows that Nissan wants to go a step further.

Nissan will reportedly perform a radiation inspection on all vehicles imported from Japan; a process that will continue until all threats of contamination have subsided. Nissan is following through with the inspections even though The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association announced that it has found no harmful levels of radiation in any vehicles destined for export.

Nissan, along with other Japanese automakers, is also trying to better assess any potential supply disruptions that could come as a result of the quake and ensuing tsunami. The automaker claims that its current supply of vehicles here in the U.S. stands at 50 days worth of cars, trucks and SUVs. That number could dwindle, however, as current estimates show that the carmaker has at least seven days worth of parts. After those seven days are up, the company will reportedly reassess its situation.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Report: Nissan to check radiation levels on cars tabbed for export originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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