Sep 04 (The Japan News) - The government has decided to double its current EV charger installation target to 300,000 by 2030. With EVs growing in popularity around the world, the government hopes the increased availability of charging stations across the nation will encourage a similar trend in Japan.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has presented draft guidelines for its plan to an expert panel.
Japan currently has about 30,000 EV chargers. Under the new plan, additional chargers will be available at public spaces such as expressway rest stops, Michi-no-Eki roadside rest areas and commercial facilities.
To clarify enumeration, the ministry will replace the term “charger” with “connector,” as newer devices can charge multiple EVs simultaneously.
The government had initially set a target of 150,000 charging stations by 2030 in its Green Growth Strategy, which was revised in 2021. But with Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota Motor Corp. expected to increase domestic sales of EVs, the government concluded that it is necessary to revise its target for chargers, which are key to the spread of EVs. ...continue reading