Five Companies to Standardize Methods for Charging Vehicles

Toyota Motor Corp. (Toyota), Nissan Motor Co. (Nissan), Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (Mitsubishi Motors), Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (Fuji Heavy Industries), and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) jointly established the "CHAdeMO Association" in order to increase quick-charger installations for electric cars and to standardize charging methods for vehicles, according to an announcement on March 15, 2010.

"CHAdeMo", a brand name of a quick-charger device that the association is standardizing, has three meanings: "CHArge de Move" refers to charging a vehicle for driving; "de" refers to "denki", the Japanese word for "electricity"; and the name implies that the driver could drink a beverage such as tea (cha) while the car is being charged.

In August 2009, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Fuji Heavy Industries and TEPCO formed a preparatory committee. Toyota then joined the committee and the association was established with the five companies as executive members. Around 158 business entities and groups from Japan and abroad are expected to join the association, including charger manufacturers, charging service providers and supporting companies and government bodies.

The association plans to promote EVs (including plug-in hybrid vehicles), which widely contribute to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the transportation sector by providing other countries with technical knowledge related to quick-charger installation, in addition to the standardization of charging methods.

Council to Promote Launch of Rapid Charger Infrastructure in Japan in Fiscal 2009 (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/029613.html

Posted: 2010/06/04 06:00:15 AM

TAG Energy , Manufacturing industry , Non-manufacturing industry , Transportation