Implementation of "EV Sharing Model Business" in Kanagawa Prefecture to promote wider use of electric vehicles (EV) in the private sector

With a view to contributing to the creation of a low-carbon society, the Japan Research Institute, Limited (President: Yasuyuki Kimoto; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; "JRI") will be helping Kanagawa Prefectural Government to set up its "EV Sharing Model Business", a project that seeks to promote the use of EVs among the general public.

To help fight against global warming, Japan has set a target of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 60-80% by 2050. The government and the private sector are both under pressure to come up with ways of reducing emissions. In recent years, there has been growing interest in developments in the field of electric vehicles (EVs), which do not produce carbon dioxide while running and are not dependent on fossil fuels.

JRI will use its experience of active involvement in consortiums and new businesses in the environmental field in implementing the trials of a new business model that Kanagawa Prefectural Government (Note 1) is conducting this fiscal year and, in parallel with the study on the EV Sharing Model Business that it has been commissioned to undertake, will be investigating the potential for commercial development.

The project has been commissioned from JRI by Kanagawa Prefectural Government and, with the collaboration of car rental firms Nippon Rent-a-Car Service Inc. and Mazda Car Rental Corporation and car leasing firm Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Company, Limited, aims to promote the use of EVs by loan vehicles that the prefectural government uses for official business on weekdays to members of the general public at weekends and on holidays, when they are not needed by government officials (Fig. 1). The EVs to be loaned in this way will carry the logos of the car rental and leasing firms collaborating in the project (Fig. 2).

JRI sees the EV sharing project as a progressive means of promoting EV use and plans to extend it to local government bodies, universities, private enterprises, etc.

For more information on the content of this report, please contact Kazuhiro Muto, the Japan Research Institute, Limited.

Tel: 03-3288-4613
E-mail: muto.kazuhiro@jri.co.jp