Leading Japanese companies to collaborate on common system for EV-recharging
Mon 15 March 2010
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Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Fuji Heavy Industries have linked up with Japan's largest utility firm Tokyo Electric Power Company and 153 other companies from around the World to work towards agreement on a common system to recharge electric cars. Meanwhile, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has adopted the first international safety regulation on safety of both fully electric and hybrid cars.
The creation of a Japanese standard, which the companies hope may be adopted globally, would allow leading EV carmakers, such as Nissan, to accelerate their electric car plans.
Last year, Japan overtook the United States to become the world's largest market for hybrid cars, despite its smaller overall market size. Attractive consumer incentives have been the key to the rising popularity of hybrids in Japan. The coalition brings together 158 partner companies including interested non-Japanese companies such as Robert Bosch, Endesa, PSA Peugeot Citroen, and Korea Electric Power.
“What we need to do is make this protocol a standard outside Japan,” said Tsunehisa Katsumata, chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Co.,
In the United States companies have been working to establish standards for the American market. In January this year, the US Society of Automotive Engineers adopted SAE J1772 as the standard plug, which will be used by the GM Volt, Nissan Leaf and other plug-in cars.
In related news a new version of UNECE Regulation No. 100 has been adopted which introduces type-approval requirements for all types of electric and hybrid vehicles’ electrical safety requirements. The list of countries that that recognise the UNECE Regulation No. 100 includes the 27 Member States of the European Union, Several Asian countries, including Japan. All are expected to apply the new version soon. One of the main requirements is to provide protection against electric shocks.
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