Plug-in electric vehicles in Japan

The Nissan Leaf electric car is the top selling plug-in electric vehicle in Japan.

The fleet of plug-in electric vehicles in Japan is the third largest in the world after the United States and China as of August 2015. Since 2009 over 121,000 plug-in electric vehicles have been sold in the country through August 2015.[1] During 2012, global sales of pure electric cars were led by Japan with a 28% market share of total sales, followed by the United States with a 26% share. Japan ranked second after the U.S. in terms of its share of plug-in hybrid sales in 2012, with a 12% of global sales.[2] A total of 29,716 highway-capable plug-in electric vehicles were sold in the country in 2013, representing a 0.55% market share of the 5.3 million new automobiles and kei cars sold during 2013.[3][4]

As of 30 September 2014, the Nissan Leaf all-electric car is the top selling plug-in electric vehicle in the country, with 45,342 units sold since December 2010.[5][6] Ranking second is the Toyota Prius PHV with 19,100 units sold,[7] followed by the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV with 17,968 units delivered.[8]

As of December 2012, Japan was the country with the highest ratio of quick charging points to electric vehicles (EVSE/EV), with a ratio of 0.030 as of December 2012. The country's charging infrastructure included 1,381 public quick-charge stations and around 300 non-domestic slow charger points.[2] The Japanese government has set up a target to deploy 2 million slow chargers and 5,000 fast charging points by 2020.[2]

Introduction and sales

Mitsubishi i-MiEV recharging from an on-street charging station in Japan.

The first electric car available in the Japanese market was the Mitsubishi i MiEV, launched for fleet customers in Japan in late July 2009.[9][10] Retail sales to the public began in April 2010.[11][12][13] Cumulative sales since July 2009 reached 10,159 i-MiEVs through September 2014.[8][14] Sales of the Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV electric van began in December 2011, and a total of 5,334 units have been sold through September 2014.[8][15] A truck version of the Minicab MiEV was launched in January 2013,[16] with sales of 669 units through September 2014.[8][15] Mitsubishi also launched in January 2013 a plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander, called the Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV, becoming the first SUV plug-in hybrid in the world's market.[17] The SUV has an all-electric range of 60 km (37 mi).[17] The Outlander P-HEV sold 9,608 units during 2013, ranking as the second top selling plug-in electric car in Japan after the Nissan Leaf.[4][15] As of September 2014, Mitsubishi has sold 34,130 plug-in electric vehicles in Japan since July 2009.[8][14][15]

Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV in Japan.

The first prototype battery switch station from Better Place was demonstrated in Yokohama on May 14, 2009.[18] On April 2010, a 90-day switchable-battery electric taxi demonstration project was launched in Tokyo, using three Nissan Rogue crossover utility vehicles, converted into electric cars with switchable batteries provided by A123 Systems. The battery switch station deployed in Tokyo is more advanced than the Yokohama switch system demonstrated in 2009.[19][20][21] During the three-month field test the EV taxis accumulated over 25,000 miles (40,000 km) and swapped batteries 2,122 times, with an average battery swap time of 59.1 seconds. Nissan decided to continue the trial until late November 2010.[22]

Sales of the Nissan Leaf began on December 22, 2010, when the first 10 Leaf were delivered at the Kanagawa Prefecture. The Prefecture Government decided to assign six Leafs for official use and the other four were made available for the car rental service run by the local government.[23][24] Sales of the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid began in January 2012, and a total of 19,100 units have been sold through September 2014.[7] The Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid was introduced in Japan in June 2013 and it is available only for leasing, primarily to corporations and government agencies.[25] As of December 2013, the Accord PHEV ranked as the third best selling plug-in hybrid in the Japanese market.[26]

About 30,600 highway-capable plug-in electric vehicles were sold in the country in 2013,[6][7][8] representing a 0.58% market share of the 5.3 million new automobiles and kei cars sold during 2013.[3][4] Over 24,400 plug-in electric vehicles were sold during the first nine months of 2014.[6][7][8] Sales of the plug-in electric drive segment during 2013 were led by the Nissan Leaf with 13,021 units sold, up from 11,115 in 2012, allowing the Leaf to continue as the top selling plug-in electric car in the country since 2011.[5] Also during 2013, a total of 45 Nissan NMC all-electric low-speed neighborhood vehicles were sold in the country.[4] Sales during the first nine months of 2014 again were led by the Nissan Leaf with 10,877 units,[6] followed by the Outlander P-HEV with 8,630 units,[8] together representing 78.8% of the plug-in segment sales during this period.[5][6][7][8]

Retail deliveries of the Tesla Model S began in Japan in September 2014.[27] The Leaf continued as the market leader in 2014 for the fourth year running with 14,177 units sold, followed by the Outlander P-HEV with 10,064 units, together representing about 80% of the plug-in segment sales in Japan in 2014.[28][29][30]

In 2015 the Outlander plug-in hybrid surpassed the Leaf as the top selling plug-in electric car in the country with 10,996 units sold, while the Leaf sold 9,057 units.[31] Japan is the Outlander P-HEV largest country market with 30,668 units sold through December 2015.[32] Since its introduction, Nissan has sold 57,699 Leafs by the end of December 2015, allowing the all-electric car to rank as the all-time best-selling plug-in car in the country.[33]

Sales by model

The following table presents sales for the top selling highway-capable plug-in electric vehicles by year since July 2009 up to September 2014, totaling sales of about 99,000 plug-in electric vehicles, of which 62.6% are all-electric vehicles.[5][6][7][8][14][34]

Top selling highway-capable plug-in electric vehicles
available in the Japanese market between 2009 and September 2014
Model Market
launch		Total
sales		2014
CYTD		20132012201120102009
Nissan Leaf[5][6] Dec 201045,34210,87713,02111,115 10,31019
Toyota Prius PHV[7][35]Jan 2012 19,100 3,678 4,45210,970
Mitsubishi Outlander P-HEV[8]Jan 201317,9688,360 9,608
Mitsubishi i-MiEV[8][14]Jul 200910,159 7571,491 2,2952,290 2,340 986
Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV van[8]Dec 20115,334 639 1,461 2,487 747
Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV truck[8]Jan 2013669 115 554
BMW i3[34]2014+ 400 + 400(2)
Total sales Jul 2009 - Sept 201498,97224,82630,58726,86713,3472,359986
Notes: (1) The Tesla Model S and Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid are also available in Japan, but sales figures are not available.[26]
(2) Sales only between April and August 2014.

Future trends

According to a research report published by Navigant Research in April 2014, annual light-duty plug-in electric vehicle sales in the Greater Tokyo Area will surpass the Los Angeles metropolitan area in 2020, currently the city with the largest PEV city market. Navigant forecasts that over 35,000 PEVs will be sold in Tokyo in 2020, up from around 19,500 expected for 2014, and sales are predicted to reach almost 50,000 units in 2023.[36]

The light-duty plug-in electric vehicle fleet in Tokyo is expected to reach a market penetration of 2.3% of the city's light-duty stock in 2023, and to become the world's largest PEV city market with a PEV stock of around 260,000 in 2023, while Los Angeles is expected to have a stock of over 250,000 PEVs.[37] Due to its large population, over 35 million in 2014, Navigant predicts that by 2023 other cities with lower population will have a higher PEV market penetration. In 2023 the fleet of light duty plug-in electric vehicles in use in Oslo is expected to represent 10.7% of the city's total registered light-duty fleet, 7.7% in Amsterdam, and 2.5% in Paris.[36][37]

Charging infrastructure

The Japanese electric vehicle charging infrastructure climbed from only 60 public charging stations in early 2010[9] to 1,381 public quick-charge stations as of December 2012, representing the largest deployment of fast chargers in the world. The number of non-domestic slow charger points increased to around 300 units.[2] Japan also is the country with the highest ratio of quick charging points to electric vehicles (EVSE/EV), with a ratio of 0.030 as of December 2012.[2] There are 1,967 CHAdeMO quick charging stations across the country by April 2014.[38] The Japanese government has set up a target to deploy 2 million slow chargers and 5,000 fast charging points by 2020.[2] Currently all Family Mart convenience stores with sufficient parking space have one space specialized for quick-charge use or are in the process of having one installed.

Government incentives

The Japanese government introduced the first electric vehicle incentive program in 1996, and it was integrated in 1998 with the Clean Energy Vehicles Introduction Project, which provided subsidies and tax discounts for the purchase of electric, natural gas, methanol and hybrid electric vehicles. The project provided a purchase subsidy of up to 50% the incremental costs of a clean energy vehicle as compared with the price of a conventional engine vehicle.[39] This program was extended until 2003.[40]

Nissan Leaf taxi at the Kumamoto Prefecture.

In May 2009 the Japanese Diet passed the "Green Vehicle Purchasing Promotion Measure" that went into effect on June 19, 2009, but retroactive to April 10, 2009.[41] The program established tax deductions and exemptions for environmentally friendly and fuel efficient vehicles, according to a set of stipulated environmental performance criteria, and the requirements are applied equally to both foreign and domestically produced vehicles. The program provided purchasing subsidies for two type of cases, consumers purchasing a new passenger car without trade-in (non-replacement program), and for those consumers buying a new car trading an used car registered 13 years ago or earlier (scrappage program).[41][42]

Subsidies for purchases of new environmentally friendly vehicles without scrapping a used car are 100,000 yen (~US$1,100) for the purchase of a standard or small car, and 50,000 yen (~US$550) for the purchase of a mini or kei vehicle. Subsidies for purchasing trucks and buses meeting the stipulated fuel efficiency and emission criteria vary between 200,000 yen (~US$2,100) to 900,000 yen (~US$9,600).[41][43][44]

Subsidies for purchases of new environmentally friendly vehicles in the case of owners scrapping a 13-year or older vehicle are 250,000 yen (~US$2,700) for the purchase of a standard or small car, and 125,000 yen (~US$1,300) for the purchase of a mini or kei vehicle. Subsidies for purchasing trucks and buses meeting the stipulated fuel efficiency and emission criteria vary between 400,000 yen (~US$4,300) to 1,800,000 yen (~US$19,000).[41][43][44]

All incentives for new purchases with or without trading were applicable in Japan's fiscal year 2009, from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010.[43][44]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jeff Cobb (2015-09-16). "One Million Global Plug-In Sales Milestone Reached". HybridCars.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 International Energy Agency, Clean Energy Ministerial, and Electric Vehicles Initiative (April 2013). "Global EV Outlook 2013 - Understanding the Electric Vehicle Landscape to 2020" (PDF). International Energy Agency. Retrieved 2013-04-20. See pp. 4, 6-8, and 11-12.
  3. 1 2 Jeff Cobb (2014-01-16). "Top 6 Plug-In Vehicle Adopting Countries". HybridCars.com. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jose Pontes (2014-01-30). "Japan December 2013". EV Sales. Retrieved 2014-02-21. Excludes sales of Nissan NMC units (45), which is a low-speed neighborhood vehicle.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Mark Kane (2014-01-30). "Nissan LEAF Sales In Japan Up 17% in 2013". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mark Kane (2014-10-26). "Nissan LEAF Sales Surge To Almost 7,000 In September". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2014-10-26. A total of 10,877 units were sold in Japan during the first nine months of 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Toyota Is Global Hybrid Leader With Sales Of 7 Million" (Press release). Torrance, California: PR Newswire. 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2014-10-18. As of September 2014, Prius PHV cumulative sales in Japan totaled 19,100 units and 65,300 units globally.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "三菱 i-MiEVなどの2014年9月度 生産・販売実績" [Mitsubishi i-MiEV production and sales results for September 2014] (in Japanese). Electric Vehicle News. 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2014-10-27. A total of 5,334 Minicab vans and 669 mini truck versions have been sold through September 2014.
  9. 1 2 Yuri Kageyama (2010-04-01). "Japanese Start Buying Affordable Electric Cars". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
  10. ↑ "Mitsubishi Motors Begins Production of i-MiEV; Targeting 1,400 Units in Fiscal 2009". Green Car Congress. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  11. ↑ Chang-Ran Kim (2010-03-30). "Mitsubishi Motors lowers price of electric i-MiEV". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  12. ↑ "Mitsubishi unveils Y4.59 mil electric car". Associated Press via Japan Today. 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  13. ↑ John Murphy (2009-06-08). "Mitsubishi Launches Electric Car". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Mark Kane (2014-01-14). "Sales Of Mitsubishi MiEV in Japan Fell Off Sharply in 2013; Battery Production Constraints Probable Cause". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "三菱 i-MiEVなどの2013年12月度 販売実績" [Mitsubishi i-MiEV sales results for December 2013] (in Japanese). Electric Vehicle News. 2014-01-29. Retrieved 2014-02-01. Cumulative Outlander P-HEV sales in Japan totaled 9,608 units through December 2013.
  16. ↑ Mark Kane (2013-06-10). "Mitsubishi’s Pure Electric Vehicle Sales Tumbling in Japan as Outlander PHEV Dominates". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2013-06-16.
  17. 1 2 Jay Cole (2013-01-24). "Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV On Sale In Japan Today, Extended Promotional Video Released". Inside EVs. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  18. ↑ John Murphy (2009-05-09). "A High-Tech Twist on the Filling Station; In Japan, a California Start-Up Unveils System for Quickly Swapping Batteries in Electric Cars". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  19. ↑ "Better Place Launches Switchable-Battery Electric Taxi Project in Tokyo; Converted Crossovers with A123 Systems Packs". Green Car Congress. 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  20. ↑ "Better Place launches electric-car test with Tokyo taxi firm". The Wall Street Journal. 2010-04-26. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  21. ↑ http://blog.betterplace.com/2010/04/countdown-to-the-opening-of-the-world%E2%80%99s-first-switchable-battery-electric-taxi-operation/
  22. ↑ Sam Abuelsamid (2010-08-27). "Tokyo battery swap trials". AutoblogGreen. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  23. ↑ "Nissan delivers first Leaf in Japan". The Green Car Website. 2010-12-22. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  24. ↑ "Nissan delivers first LEAF cars in Japan". International Business Times. 2010-12-22. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  25. ↑ Honda News (2013-06-21). "Honda introduces Accord hybrid and plug-in in Japan; hybrid in US in October". Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  26. 1 2 Naoki Watanabe (2014-02-12). "Plug-in hybrids quickly becoming Japan's favorite way to drive green". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
  27. ↑ Takashi Mochizuki (2014-09-08). "Tesla’s Musk, in Tokyo, Says ‘Heart’ of Model S Is Japanese". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
  28. ↑ "三菱 i-MiEVなどの2014年12月度 生産・販売実績" [Mitsubishi i-MiEV production and sales results for December 2014] (in Japanese). Electric Vehicle News. 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2015-02-18..
  29. ↑ Jose Pontes (2015-01-30). "Japan December 2014". EVSales.com. Retrieved 2015-02-18.
  30. ↑ Mark Kane (2015-02-09). "Nissan LEAF Sales In Japan Up 9% To 14,000 In 2014". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2015-02-18. A total of 14,177 units were sold in Japan during 2014.
  31. ↑ Jose, Pontes (2016-02-08). "Japan December 2015". EVSales.com. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  32. ↑ "三菱 i-MiEVなどの2015年12月度 販売実績" [Mitsubishi i-MiEV production and sales results for December 2015]. Electric Vehicle News (in Japanese). 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2016-02-23. A total of 30,668 Outlander P-HEVs have been sold in Japan through December 2015.
  33. ↑ Kane, Mark (2016-02-05). "Worldwide Nissan LEAF Sales Down To 43,651 In 2015 (From 60,000) As Weak Numbers For Japan Are In". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2016-02-05. Leaf sales in Japan totaled 9,057 units in 2015. A total of 2,503 units were sold in January 2016. As of December 2015, cumulative sales totaled 57,699 units since the Leaf introduction in December 2010.
  34. 1 2 Hiromi Sato (2014-09-16). "Big Subsidies for Foreign Electric Cars in Japan". Nikkei Business. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
  35. ↑ Toyota Global Newsroom (2014-10-14). 実績データ（ハイブリッド車グローバル販売） [Actual data (hybrid vehicles sold globally)] (in Japanese). Toyota. Retrieved 2014-10-18. Prius Plug-in Hybrid sales by year between 2012 and September 2014.
  36. 1 2 Scott Shepard and John Gartner (April 2014). "Executive Summary: Electric Vehicle Geographic Forecasts - Plug-In Electric Vehicle Sales Forecasts for North America and Select European and Asia Pacific Cities by State/Province, Metropolitan Area, City, and Selected Utility Service Territories" (PDF). Navigant Research. Retrieved 2014-04-27. See Chart 1.1 for annual LD PEV sales in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Paris between 2014 and 2023.
  37. 1 2 Navigant Research (2014-04-24). "Navigant: US to remain largest national plug-in vehicle market over next 10 years; Tokyo to take metro market lead spot from LA". Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2014-04-27.
  38. ↑ Mark Kane (2013-04-22). "Sweden and UK Drive Growth Of CHAdeMO Chargers In Europe To 1,117". InsideEVs.com. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
  39. ↑ "Incentives for EV & HEV" (PDF). Electric Vehicle Association of Asia Pacific. October 2003. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  40. ↑ Max Ahman (March 2006). "Government policy and the development of electric vehicles in Japan". Energy Policy (34): 433–443. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2004.06.011.
  41. 1 2 3 4 "Fact Sheet- Japanese Government Incentives for the Purchase of Environmentally Friendly Vehicles" (PDF). Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. Retrieved 2010-12-24.
  42. ↑ "The Motor Industry of Japan 2010" (PDF). Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. Retrieved 2010-12-24. See pages 45–46.
  43. 1 2 3 "Japan's measures to withstand impact of global crisis on its automotive industry - JAMA shares at the 4th Indonesia International Automotive Conference". News from JAMA Asia (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association) (36). September 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  44. 1 2 3 "Sales Promotion Scheme and 2009 Vehicle Sales Forecasts - Japan: Rebate for purchase or replacement with eco-friendly vehicles". Marklines.com. Retrieved 2010-06-06.

External links

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