Japan’s support for clean vehicles reaches a major milestone

August 9, 2016 0 By Erin Kilgore

Japan has more charging stations than gas stations, according to study

Nissan has released the results of a new study, which show that Japan has more electric charging stations than normal gas stations. The country has become a very successful and prominent market for clean vehicles. Companies like Nissan have focused their efforts on launching electric vehicles of all kinds within Japan. Many of these vehicles have exceeded expectations in terms of demand and Japan’s infrastructure to support clean vehicles has grown aggressively.

More than 40,000 charging stations now support clean vehicles in Japan

According to the study from Nissan, more than 40,000 electric charging stations are in operation throughout Japan. By comparison, some 34,000 gas stations are in operation within the country. Some charging stations are located in private homes, where homeowners use them to power their clean vehicles. The country also boasts of more than 3,000 rapid charging stations, which can charger electric vehicles significantly faster than normal charging stations. Typically, an electric vehicle requires several hours to fully charge, but rapid charging stations have helped alleviate this problem.

Automakers and the government are working to build a large infrastructure for clean vehicles

Clean Vehicles - EV Charging StationIn order for clean vehicles to find success in Japan, they needed the support of a comprehensive infrastructure. With automakers developing more clean vehicles and launching them to the market, some have invested in the creation of this infrastructure. The Japanese government is also supporting the creation of a public and private energy infrastructure, hoping to make transportation more environmentally friendly. Japan is currently leading the way in terms of infrastructure support for clean vehicles. For instance, the United States has only 9,000 charging stations, but an overwhelming number of gas stations, coming in at 114,500.

Growing infrastructure does face some challenges

One issue with Japan’s growing clean vehicle infrastructure is the low capacity of charging stations. Conventional gas stations can serve many more vehicles in a 24 hour period than charging stations can. With the number of green vehicles growing, this may present a problem for those that need to charge their cars. Another issue is how this electricity is being sourced. Most charging stations tap into the nation’s existing energy grid, which is primarily fed by fossil-fuels. This means that clean vehicles are, indeed, linked to some degree of emissions production.

Spread the love