Report

PSA Autos / New Mobility: Japan's New EV Model Offensive

In this report, analyst Julie Boote reviews the 2025~2026 model line-up in the mainstream BEV segment for Japan’s automakers, focusing on Europe, North America [NA] and Japan, and assesses the appeal and competitiveness of the new models.
Underlyings
Chongqing Changan Automobile Company Limited Class A

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Honda Motor is the parent company of a group mainly develop, manufacture and distribute motorcycles, automobiles, power products, and also provide financing for the sale of those products. Principal manufacturing facilities are located in Japan, the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Turkey, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, and Brazil. Co.'s principal business segments are motorcycles, automobiles, financial services, and power products & other business. Co.'s principal automobile products include passenger cars such as "Legend," "Accord," "Inspire," "Civic," "Insight," "City," "Acura RL," "Acura TL," "Acura TSX," and "Acura CSX".

KIA Motors Corporation

KIA MOTORS CORPORATION is a Korea-based company principally engaged in the manufacture and distribution of automobiles. The Company's products include passenger vehicles, recreational vehicles (RVs), taxi, bus, commercial vehicles as well as hybrid vehicles under the brand names of K3, K5, K7, K9, Soul, Sedona, Sorento, Sportage and others. The Company also engaged in the manufacture of automobile components, as well as prevision of rental and maintenance services. The Company distributes its products within domestic market and to overseas markets, such as North America, Europe and other Asian countries, among others.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Maruti Suzuki India is engaged in manufacturing, purchasing, and selling motor vehicles, components, and spare parts in India, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Co. offers 14 brands and approximately 150 variants of passenger cars, multi utility vehicles, and multi-purpose vehicles under the Alto 800, Alto K10, Wagon R, Celerio, StingRay, Ritz, Swift, DZire, SX4, Ertiga, Omni, Eeco, Gypsy, and Grand Vitara brands. Co. is involved in the facilitation of pre-owned car sales, fleet management, and car financing. In addition, it provides motor insurance products, accessories, auto card, and driving school services.

Mazda Motor Corp.

Mazda Motor and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of passenger and commercial vehicles. Co. provides compact vehicles, sports cars, sedans, mini vans, light cars, commercial vehicles, welfare vehicles and customized vehicles, as well as car accessories. Co.'s principal products are four-wheeled vehicles, gasoline reciprocating engines, diesel engines, and automatic and manual transmissions for vehicles. Co.'s principal brand automobiles include Demio, Axela, Atenza, CX-3, CX-5, CX-8, Roadster, Carol, Flair, Flair Wagon, Scrum Wagon, Bongo, Titan, Familia Van, and Scrum Van/Truck.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Mitsubishi Motors and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of motor vehicles including passenger cars as well as component parts. Co. is engaged in the development, design, manufacture, assembly, sale and purchase, import and other transactions relating to automobiles, component parts and replacement parts, agricultural machinery and industrial engines; the sale and purchase of used automobiles; the sale of measuring equipment; and acting as insurance agents in accordance with laws relating to property damage insurance and to automobile damage indemnity insurance. In addition, Co. is involved in the provision of automobile leasing and sales finance services.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

Nissan Motor, along with its subsidiaries and associated companies, is engaged in the manufacture and sale of vehicles, marine products and related parts; and the provision of finance services throughout world. Co.'s principal businesses are automobile and sales financing. Automobile segment manufactures electric vehicles, sedans, sport coupes, compact cars, mini vans, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and station wagons. Co.'s principal brand names include "Leaf," "Infiniti," "Murano," "Altima," "Maxima," "Sentra," "Quest," "Cedric," "Days Roox," "e-NV200," "Note e-Power," "Caravan," "Wingroad," "GT-R," "Farilady Z, among others. Sales Financing segment provides sales financing services..

Renault SA

Renault is an automobile manufacturer. Co.'s activities have been organized into two main business sectors, in more than 120 countries: Automotive and Sales Financing. Co. designs, develops and sells passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Following the acquisition of Romanian carmaker Dacia and Samsung Motors' operating assets in South Korea, Co. has three automotive brands: Renault, Dacia and Samsung. RCI Banque, Co.'s captive financing arm, finances sales of the Renault, Renault Samsung Motors (RSM) and Dacia brands, and, in Europe, the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In addition to these two activities, Co. has equity investments in the following two companies: Nissan and AVTOVAZ.

Sony Corporation

Sony is engaged in the development, design, production, manufacture, offer and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets such as network services, game hardware and software, televisions, audio and video recorders and players, still and video cameras, mobile phones, and semiconductors. Co. is engaged in the development, production, manufacture, and distribution of recorded music and the management and licensing of the words and music of songs as well as the production and distribution of animation titles. Co. is also engaged in the production, acquisition and distribution of motion pictures and television.

SUBARU CORP

SUBARU and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of automobiles and aerospace-related equipment. The Automobiles segment is engaged in the manufacture, sale and repair of passenger cars and their components under the name of "SUBARU." The Aerospace segment is engaged in the manufacture, sale and repair of commercial and defense aircrafts, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and their components. In addition, Co. is engaged in the manufacture, sale and repair of generators, engine-equipped machinery, agricultural machinery, construction machinery and their components; the leasing of real estate; and the manufacture and sale of temporary houses.

Suzuki Motor Corp.

Suzuki Motor is engaged in the manufacture and sale of automobiles and motorcycles in Japan and overseas. Co.'s business segments are automobiles, motorcycles, and marine. Automobiles segment manufactures and sells light automobiles, compact automobiles and general automobiles including "Swift," "Solio," "Jimny," "Spacia," and "Hustler." Motorcycles segment manufactures and sells compact two-wheel vehicles, light two-wheel vehicles, motorized bicycles and buggies such as "Hayabusa," "GSX-R1000R ABS," and "Skywave." Specialized Machinery segment manufactures and sells outboard motors, engines for snow vehicles, motorized wheelchairs, among others.

Tesla Inc

Tesla designs, develops, manufactures, sells and leases electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems, and provides services related to its products. The company operates as two reportable segments: automotive, which includes the design, development, manufacturing, sales, and leasing of electric vehicles as well as sales of automotive regulatory credits; and energy generation and storage, which includes the design, manufacture, installation, sales, and leasing of solar energy generation and energy storage products, services related to such products, and sales of solar energy system incentives.

Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota Motor is an automobile manufacturer. Co. is primarily engaged in the design, manufacture, and sale of sedans, minivans, compact cars, sport-utility vehicles, trucks and related parts and accessories throughout the world. Co. provides financing, vehicle and equipment leasing and certain other financial services primarily to its dealers and their customers to support the sales of vehicles and other products manufactured by Co. Co.'s principal business segments are automotive operations, financial services operations and other operations. Co. sells its vehicles in approximately 190 countries and regions, and markets for its automobiles in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia.

Provider
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd

Founded in 2009, Pelham Smithers Associates (PSA) provides market intelligence on Asian technology, focusing in particular on Japan. The industries covered by our team of specialists are: consumer electronics, telecomms, pharmaceuticals, internet, electronic parts and materials, automotive technology, retail and capital goods. 

PSA produces both company and sector reports. The focus of PSA’s research is to identify winners and losers as new technologies impact the top and bottom lines of corporations. Critical to our research is the clear explanation of how these new technologies work and how they impact companies and industries. 

The founding partners have worked closely together for twenty years and the team has more than doubled in size since 2012. 

Analysts
Julie Boote

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