Japan’s four major automakers – Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi – have reached an agreement to work together to promote the installation of chargers for electric-powered vehicles (PHVs, PHEVs, EVs) and build a charging network service in Japan.
Knowing that a comprehensive charging infrastructure is needed for electric-powered vehicles to become more popular, the four Japanese carmakers have decided to collaborate to increase the number of charging stations. Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi will bear part of the cost to install the charging facilities, with the Japanese government also to offer subsidies.
They will also work together to build a “convenient and accessible” charging network together with companies that are already providing charging services in which each of the four companies already have a financial stake, including Japan Charge Network Co., Ltd., Charging Network Development, llc and Toyota Media Service.
Japan currently has about 1,700 quick chargers and just over 3,000 normal chargers, which is considered to be insufficient. The automakers hope to increase the number of normal chargers by 8,000 and quick chargers by 4,000.
The government announced subsidies for installation of charging facilities totaling 100.5 billion yen ($1.02 billion) for fiscal year 2013. Japan wants electrified vehicles to make up 15-20 percent of new car sales in 2020.
Using this strong support, the four automakers will work together to install the chargers and will temporarily bear part of the installation and maintenance costs.
By Dan Mihalascu
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