Could companies as competitive as Toyota, Honda and Nissan actually join forces? If it means furthering the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, then it appears they can.
A coalition of 13 major Japanese automakers and energy companies has formed to expand the introduction of fuel cell vehicles in 2015 as well as to develop a hydrogen supply network in the country. It is now hoped that the government will join them to form strategies to support their efforts.
Included in the coalition are Toyota, Honda and Nissan; as well as JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Cosmo Oil Company Ltd, Osaka Gas Company Ltd, Showa Shell Sekiyu KK, Saibu Gas Company, Tokyo Gas Company Ltd, Toho Gas Company Ltd, Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation, Iwatani Corporation and Idemitsu Kosan Company.
The plan is to approach local governments and other parties to discuss initial consumer demand for fuel cell vehicles and the optimal placement of hydrogen fuelling stations with the target being Japan’s four major metropolitan areas – Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo.
It is also hoped that they will be able to reduce the cost of manufacturing such systems ahead of the launch of fuel cell vehicles in the Japanese market in 2015. The aim is for hydrogen fuel suppliers to build around 100 hydrogen fuelling stations by the same year.
