JTB Tokyo Tests Rental EVs Run Only by Wind Power on Hachijyo Island

Image by detsugu. Some Rights Reserved.

JTB Tokyo, a member of major travel agency JTB Group, announced on November 1, 2011, that it will conduct verification tests of electric vehicles (EVs) that utilize electricity generated by wind. The tests will be conducted on Hachijyo Island located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan from November 2011 to the end of March 2012.

Since the summer of 2011 JTB Tokyo has been carrying out two projects: the installation of generators for wind power, which is a main EV driving source; the installation of power-charging facilities and their operations. In the latest experiment, JTB Tokyo uses rental EVs running exclusively on wind-generated power in order to carry out EV test driving and monitoring tours intended for a questionnaire survey. Based on survey results, JTB verifies its community planning on Hachijyo Island in which wide EV use is combined with local tourism. Based on this verification, the company is scheduled to plan and develop new environment-oriented sightseeing tours.

Hachijyo Town and Hachijo Island Industry Promotion Association, a local non-profit organization, are advancing the Scheme for Renewable Energy-Based Clean Hachijyo Island Using EVs. For this scheme, they are tackling with the introduction of renewable energy into the island, including geothermal and wind power generations to support about one-third of maximum electricity demand in the island.

Starting with this project, JTB is planning to promote the use of renewable energy combined with tourism business to support the building of environmentally friendly and tourism-centered towns.

Hachijo Island Introduces Electric Bicycle Rental Service Utilizing Green Energy (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030665.html
Nissan Delivers 220 EVs to Car Rental Companies in Okinawa (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/030858.html

Posted: 2012/04/01 06:00:15 AM