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A quiet -- but electric -- mood hang over the  halls of the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, east of Tokyo, as eight Japanese and three foreign auto makers held press briefings to present their booths and the prominent electric and hybrid vehicles to the foreign press, Wednesday, Oct. 21.  This is the 41st Tokyo Motor Show where a total of 108 auto and auto parts manufacturers have gathered at a time when the world is still feeling the global financial crisis. The show opens to the public from October 24 to November 4.

The 13-day event will be the stage for 39 world  premieres, and 21 Japan premieres, 27 of them passenger cars. 

A total of 270 vehicles are on display in the 21,259 sqm halls of the giant exhibition complex, which were viewed by a much fewer number of foreign press guests this year.  There was no rush for prime positions to get photos or view the presentations because there was much space to take in the crowds.

Motorcycles are also in the motor show, this time in the same exhibition hall with some of the cars.  Aside from Japanese motorcycle manufacturers Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha, foreign makers were also in the motor show.  They are: Harley Davidson (USA), Bombardier (Canada), Adiva (Italy) and Kwang Yang Motor Co. (Taiwan).

This is the fewest number of participants since the Tokyo Motor Show started in 1954. The length of the show has been cut by four days from the original plan.

Only eight Japanese auto manufacturers have exhibits in the passenger car sector -- Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Daihatsu and Suzuki.  There are only three  foreign participants in the passenger car sector -- Lotus and Caterham Cars of the United Kingdom, and Alpina of Germany. This is down from 26 participating companies at the previous shows.

The theme of the show is a statement for the protection of the environment -- "Fun driving for us, eco driving for Earth."  The organizer, Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), said this is based on the idea of "balancing the enjoyment of driving and the protection of the environment."

The motor show also sought to attract the younger visitors because of a perceived weakening of interest for the motor vehicle from the youth.

JAMA Chairman Satoshi Aoki, in a press briefing before the opening, noted:  "Interest in automobiles among the youth is weaker than in past years, but we must make every possible effort to demonstrate the attractiveness of, and dreams associated with automobiles, to young people, who will become important customers in the future."

The eight Japanese manufacturers complete this theme with their exhibitions on the latest hybrid gasoline-electricity vehicles and emissions-free electric vehicles with a user-friendly plug-in charge system.

Mitsubishi's booth is dominated by its extensive display of i-MiEV models whose functions have been expanded to include hauling cargo.  The i-MiEV is the world's first volume production electric vehicle equipped with lithium-ion batteries.  It was launched in July this year.

Toyota's booth displayed the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept, the first Toyota model powered by lithium-ion batteries.  It also showcased the FT-EVII, the small electric concept vehicle designed for urban driving and the lightweight four-seat sports car, the FT-86 Concept, both of which held their world premieres at the motor show.

Honda's booth focused on various ways to address environmental concerns with its hybrid vehicles, a fuel cell electric vehicle and a battery electric vehicle.  A special display zone named "HELLO" features a display of electricity-based products that supply electricity and vehicles that run on electricity.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, maker of Subaru, known for its high-performance cars, presented a hybrid that will "integrate enjoyable, dependable driving with the global environment."  This is the Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept which integrates "symmetrical all-wheel drive and the powerful horizontally-opposed boxer engine, both core Subaru technnologies, with a luxurious high quality cabin and a sculpted body."

Nissan presents the Leaf model as the world's first electric vehicle designed for large-scale volume production. It will be launched in the US, Japan, and Europe starting from late 2010.

Suzuki's booth displays "small cars for a big future." One of the cars  is the Swift Plug-in Hybrid that incorporates a propulsion motor, a battery and an engine-powered generator.

Mazda presents the Premacy Hydrogen RD Hybrid which features a distinctive serial hybrid system that consists of a hydrogen rotary engine connected to a generator that powers the electric motor. Its driving range is 200 km. Daihatsu's booth displays six concept cars from four different vehicle series.
One of them, the e:S model is a new eco-friendly car that boasts a fuel efficiency of 30 km per liter without the use of an electric motor.

One of the new events in the motor show is a  test-drive program for visitors to experience 29 cars, including the next-generation models. A test-driving program is also available for the latest motorcycle models around a special 600-meter outdoor course. This will be held on the last five days of the event.