Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi to provide financial assistance for EV charging infrastructure in Japan
12 November 2013
Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation have agreed on the details of specific financial assistance they will provide to installers of charging stations for electric vehicles (PHVs, PHEVs, and EVs). This announcement follows an agreement the four companies announced in July jointly to promote the construction of a user-friendly network of charging infrastructures. (Earlier post.)
In order for electric vehicles to become widely adopted, the partners point out, it is imperative that charging infrastructure be made widely available as quickly as possible. By assisting installers with the part of their costs not covered by government subsidies, the four companies intend to promote wider availability of chargers to make electric vehicle use more convenient.
The new program targets charging facilities recognized to have high public value under the subsidy utilization plans drawn up by local governments. Financial assistance will be made available to those businesses and operations that satisfy certain conditions, such as destination charging spots at commercial facilities and lodging facilities, as well as en-route charging spots at service areas and toll-road parking areas, convenience stores on regular roads, and service stations.
By the spring of 2014 the four companies also plan to establish a management organization that will set up and manage a membership-based charging service. The management organization will collect membership fees and usage charges from electric vehicle users. This independent scheme is intended to assist electric vehicle users and support the charging infrastructure to further develop and expand it in Japan.
In the current favorable environment of government subsidies for charger installation, the four automakers will actively encourage installation of both standard chargers and quick chargers.
| Overview of Financial Assistance Program for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Standard chargers | Quick Chargers | ||||
| Installation costs | The balance of the cost of purchasing and installing chargers after the NEV Subsidy and local government subsidies provided to primary business entities are subtracted. Assistance is capped at ¥400,000/charger (US$4,011). |
The balance of the cost of purchasing and installing chargers, after the NEV Subsidy and local government subsidies provided to primary business entities are subtracted. Assistance is capped at ¥1,700,000/charger (US$17,049). Startup inspection expense. Assistance is capped at ¥200,000/charger (US$2,006). | ||||
| Maintenance costs | All expenses, including the communication fees for chargers, maintenance contract, and insurance. The assistance duration will be 8 years following the completion of charger installation (ownership requirements as stipulated in the NEV Subsidy System). Assistance is capped at ¥85,000/charger (US$852) per year. |
All expenses, including the communication expense for chargers, maintenance contract, and insurance. The assistance duration will be 8 years following the completion of charger installation (ownership requirements as stipulated by the NEV Subsidy). Assistance is capped at ¥405,000/charger (US$4,062) per year. The basic electricity service charge associated with the installation of low-voltage power-receiving equipment. Assistance duration will be 8 years following the completion of charger installation. | ||||
| Electricity costs | The amount equivalent to the electricity charge associated with the use of chargers. Limited to the required ownership duration stipulated in the NEV Subsidy System following the start of the membership-based charging service. | The amount equivalent to the electricity charge associated with the use of chargers. Limited to the required ownership duration stipulated in the NEV Subsidy System following the start of the membership-based charging service. | ||||
Applications are being accepted now through 28 February 2014. The payment of assistance will be made through the Membership-Based Charging Service Management Organization to be set up separately.
| Requirements for Financial Assistance | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facility | Requirements | Upper limit | ||||
| Quick | Standard | |||||
| Service areas, parking areas or highway rest stops | Must be installed along national expressways or car-only roads | 2 | 5 | |||
| Roadway stations | Must be registered as a “roadway station” with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 1 | 5 | |||
| Ocean-side stations | Must be registered as an “ocean-side station” with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 1 | 5 | |||
| Tourist facilities | Facilities visited by at least 400,000 visitors a year or having a parking capacity of at least 300 vehicles | 1 | 2 | |||
| Large-scale retail stores | Large-scale shopping malls, DIY stores, etc. with a retail area of more than 1,000 m2 | 1 | 5 | |||
| Convenience stores | Must satisfy the following two conditions: 1) Parking capacity of at least 10 vehicles and 2) Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Gasoline stations | As a rule, must be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Drugstores | Must satisfy the following two conditions: 1) Parking capacity of at least 20 vehicles and 2) Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Restaurant | s A family restaurant or similar restaurant that satisfies the following two conditions: 1) Parking capacity of at least 20 vehicles and 2) Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year | 1 | 3 | |||
| Inns and hotels | Must have at least 10 employees. | 1 | 3 | |||
| Airports | Must satisfy the following two conditions: 1) A hub airport or a regionally controlled airport as defined in the Airport Law and 2) A parking facility or drop-off/pick-up area belonging to an airport terminal (Chargers installed in private parking lots in the surrounding area are not eligible.) | 1 | 1 | |||
| Ferry terminals | Must satisfy the following two conditions: 1) A port that is the starting point, port of call, or terminating point for an operation that ferries automobiles and general travelers on regularly scheduled routes, registered with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in accordance with the Marine Transportation Law and 2) A parking facility or drop-off/pick-up area belonging to a ferry terminal (Chargers installed in private parking lots in the surrounding area are not eligible.) | 1 | 1 | |||
| Post offices | Must be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. | 1 | 1 | |||
| Facilities owned by local governments | Facilities owned by local governments that do not fit under any of the above requirements. | 1 | 1 | |||
This program is very limited but it is a essential mini step in the right direction to promote electrified vehicles sales.
Tesla's chargers program is far ahead?
Posted by: HarveyD | 12 November 2013 at 08:51 AM
Tesla's program is limited, it makes sense for ALL makers of EVs to participate in this. It is not Standard Oil willing to build stations for Ford and others.
Posted by: SJC | 14 November 2013 at 09:05 AM