Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

Photo courtesy of Honda

If you’ve ever wondered what the commuter of the future will ride to work, Honda might just have the answer. The company recently unveiled the latest prototype of its EV-neo electric scooter, which it plans to lease to businesses from December. The EV-neo is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a range of 30km. Honda says it can hold its own against mass-market bikes with under-50cc gasoline engines and is “a powerful ride even with cargo,” which should come as a relief to the more corpulent salarymen out there.

Volkswagen is still the most popular imported car in Japan, according to figures released by the Japan Automobile Importers Association. The German automaker retained first place in the sales rankings for fiscal 2009 for the tenth consecutive year, with sales of 40,664 cars and trucks and an import market share of just over 22 percent. BMW overtook Mercedes-Benz to move into second place, while Audi was 4th and BMW Mini got the 5th spot. Auto imports as a whole were down by 7.8 percent compared to the previous year, marking a 21-year low.