The B2B platform for full-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Industry News

By March 2010, the Japanese city Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture, 50km north of Tokyo) will initiate a project to test a low-carbon transport system based on clean energy. The project aims to comprehensively assess a low-carbon energy network composed of electric vehicles (EVs), rapid chargers, fixed battery stations, solar panels and a car sharing service.

Tsukuba will offer its citizens electric vehicles through a rental car programme (similar to the Zipcar programme in the U.S. in which customers join a car club that offers car rentals on an hourly or daily basis). Instead of recharging stations tapping directly into a smart grid, those in the Tsukuba test project will use stationary grid storage units developed by U.S. battery manufacturer EnerDel. The stationary storage units will enable the rapid charging of the all-electric Mazda2 cars, while avoiding to have to tap into a smart grid during peak usage hours.

The recharging stations, drawing from solar panels as well as grid power, will be located at Family Mart convenience stores in the Tsukuba City area. Mazda will provide Mazda Demios for conversion to plug-in battery power, and will assist in determining optimum vehicle specifications and evaluating vehicle performance.

Project overview

The Tsukuba Environmental Style Project will focus on following activities: 

• test the viability of reusing EV batteries in fixed battery stations
• develop a system to reuse EV batteries in fixed battery stations, including remote battery monitoring technology
• test a model for optimal use of renewable energy in EVs and participating stores
• use information and communications technologies (ICT) in conjunction with control and electricity storage technology
• develop an effective system for optimal use of electricity generated through solar panels, stored in fixed battery stations and supplied to EVs and participating stores
• introduce an EV car sharing system based at convenience stores
• test an integrated contactless smart card payment system for the rapid chargers and the car sharing service

The project is steered by the Itochu Corporation, a Japanese conglomerate who owns Family Mart and has partnered with EnerDel on energy projects since 2003. In one of these partnerships Itochu, EnerDel and Think Global (NO) had already tested a fleet of all-electric trucks for the Japanese Postal Service.

The cooperation of the project partners will enable the development of a broader knowledge base, including expertise related to EV infrastructure and the reuse of EV batteries. The project will benefit the participating companies in their R&D as well as serve as exemplary case study for the establishment of a sustainable society and the evolution of environmentally safe technology.