Photo: Nissan
politics

Gov't aims to make all passenger cars electric by 2050: panel report

32 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

32 Comments
Login to comment

Once again, urges from the government. I wonder if they have Toyota and the other makers on board with this too?

This is a worthy idea, but even 30 years down the road folks are not going to buy cars that are for here anyway, still unreliable.

I have friends who are taxi drivers,and their company purchased electric vehicles as a part of their fleet. At first they were great, but after a couple of months on the road, they are having to recharge the cars every three to 4 hours, and it's ending up costing them lost customers because of it. They only use the electric taxis now for contracted customers.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

That’s like 30 years away. Not really that hard is it?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

That’s like 30 years away. Not really that hard is it?

If they can't clean up the Fukushima reactors in 30 years, how do you expect that automakers are going to be able to put out a reliable electrical car that people can actually afford within 3 decades?

There needs to be a push by these automakers and others in the industry to invent batteries that dont cost an arm and a leg, that do not use rare earth metals, as they are limited as well and build a car that people will feel comfortable driving.

Pipe dream.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

The Japanese government is aiming to make all new passenger cars electric, including hybrids and electric vehicles, by 2050

Including hybrids?

How can you make a hybrid electric? You cut out the petrol engine?

"• (also hybrid car) a car with a petrol engine and an electric motor, each of which can propel it." (Oxford English Dictionary)

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If they can't clean up the Fukushima reactors in 30 years, how do you expect that automakers are going to be able to put out a reliable electrical car that people can actually afford within 3 decades?

If oranges are green, why isn't tea cheaper?

Or in other words, those two things literally have nothing to do with each other whatsoever. Any other completely random non-equivalencies you want to bring up?

8 ( +9 / -1 )

The Japanese government is aiming to make all new passenger cars electric, including hybrids and electric vehicles, by 2050

Just worked out how they're going to do it. The new hybrid cars will have only an electric motor. The motor will carry the car up hills and cut out when it reaches the top so that the battery gets charged as the car coasts downhill. Brilliant! It won't be exported to Holland though.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I doubt I'll be driving by then at 80 years old but comparing today's electric vehicles to those in 30 years, is nonsense. 3 decades from now, technological advances will likely allow vehicles to travel thousands of kilometers before the next charging is required. A good move in the right direction.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Does the failure to mention hydrogen mean anything?

I doubt hydrogen is viable without government money to roll out storage and filling stations around the country. There is little point in investing in infrastructure if all cars are going to use batteries by 2050. Get the efficiency of hydrogen from hydrolysis up a certain percentage and hydrogen could be a better form of energy storage than batteries. In certain uses anyway.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Too late, unfortunately. Abe missed the golden opportunity to lead the industry, because his anti-China policy. Just imagine afew years ago when China announced her plan of ev cars, if Japan responded positively and joint hands with China, perhaps, Japan will be at least a part of leading force on this new adventure. The United States of Northeast Asia is very practical concept, Japan already lost a lot to Germany and USA in Chinese Market, both are thousand miles away from Northeast Asia.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@kohakuebisu - Does the failure to mention hydrogen mean anything?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Hydrogen vehicles are a much better option. They run on water and don't require the use of rare metal batteries. What's the bet the nuclear power cartels are pushing for more electric vehicle use? Hydrogen engines were perfected in the 80's, but the patents were bought by the oil companies and shelved. This dramatically slowed further development. Pushing to have every passenger vehicle in Japan powered by electricity is a very bad idea. No electricity = No transport!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

But the electricity has to be generated somehow. And electric cars are sometimes inadequate in snowy/icy conditions. Hydrogen might be better.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Great news. I like the LEAF. I will buy the new model LEAF when it comes out, maybe

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@Ganbare Japan!

I like the LEAF. I will buy the new model LEAF when it comes out

Are you sure?

https://electrek.co/2018/07/09/nissan-battery-cell-fails-leaf-lg-batteries/

The sale of Nissan’s battery cell division fails as the Leaf is about to get LG batteries

Information that leaked from a Nissan presentation earlier this year showed that the Japanese automaker is preparing a powertrain update for the 2019 version that would include a new 60 kWh battery pack with LG Chem cells.

Bye Bye Japanese Battery powered Leaf.

Hello Korean Battery powered Leaf.

But Nissan isn't alone in ditching Japanese battery in favor of Korean battery.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gm-battery-honda/gm-to-sell-new-electric-car-batteries-to-honda-in-north-america-idUSKCN1J31S6

GM to sell new electric car batteries to Honda in North America

(Reuters) - General Motors Co will supply advanced batteries to Japan’s Honda Motor Co, the companies said Thursday, a move that could significantly reduce the cost of future electric vehicles at both automakers after 2020.

A source familiar with GM’s plans said its current battery cell supplier, Korea’s LG Chem, is expected to provide cells for the new battery

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Pushing a tech and not enforcing a policy. What if a new tech comes along that is better than electric? Enforce zero emitance rather than forcing a tech.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

We should have spaceships and personal jet packs well before then.

So I think the government can safely predict this while doing nothing except having meetings and charging travel and entertainment expenses to the taxpayers. Which is usually the goal of things like this.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How thoroughly has the electric car proponents thought about the power grid infrastructure needed to handle the increase in electric cars? How much additional electricity will be needed to power the millions of EVs involved, and how much will it cost?

Without additional power plants, today's power grid would fail catastrophically when the entire country switches to electric cars. To expand Yubaru's comments, if they can't clean up Fukushima reactors in 30 years, how do you expect the government and utility companies will be able to install the required infrastructure to meet the additional electrical demands required by electric cars within 3 decades?

Japan is planning to phase out nuclear power by 2040. How do you balance the shortfall from renewable energies when the sun is not shining and the wind not blowing? I doubt renewable energy sources alone will be able to handle the increased energy demands electric cars demand.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Put this in the same file folder as the Kyoto Protocol.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

OMG finally!So common sense!

I thought the government will keep kicking the 'we need to support traditional industry' bullsh"" forever,and end up destroying its autonomous industry producing something no one needs anymore.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Without additional power plants, today's power grid would fail catastrophically when the entire country switches to electric cars.

You act like they're going to flip a switch one day, and suddenly all the gas cars will be gone and only electric cars will remain.

This is a gradual change. It needs a strategy for the government to find the most effective way to move it forward. It's not something that is just going to happen one day.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yubaru

I actually didnt think about it in that way...that the vehicles arent reliable. I actually have no idea havig no exp with EVs.

I meant that since most manufacturers have EVs already, to have an all EV lineup isnt exactly innovating at a level that Im impressed at.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Maybe I am a dummy, but doesn't a car use the same amount of energy to get from A to B however it is powered.  If so, doesn't burning oil or gas or coal in power stations to charge these cars use the same amount of resource and pollute the same?  So unless we use more renewables oe nuclear, isn't the net result the same?

Someone enlighten me please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I like looking at second hand cars when I'm bored and it looks like the Leaf is Japan leader in depreciation. You can get a low mileage one for very little compared to a Prius or Aqua of the same vintage. The original Leaf had problems in that its air con would cause a big hit in range. Combustion based cars use waste heat, so the effect on fuel economy is much lower. I think the Leaf now uses a heat pump.

An electric car is even more of a computer with wheels than modern cars today, so there is potential for huge disruption regarding who makes them. What might save existing manufacturers are their sales, distribution, and maintenance networks, not so much their knowledge in building what will be outdated petrol cars.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

New Leaf model just came out less than 12 months ago, so there is your chance..unless you are just trolling as usual....maybe ?

That model is the latest LEAF model. The new LEAF model will be release in around 2 years and wiil have an extended life battery and other features.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@HillClimber

That was only going to happen if Nissan sold AESC to GSR Capital

The batteries are not interchangeable and the next Leaf will have LG's battery regardless of AESC's fate, because it was designed for the LG battery.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My electric car saved me £1860 last year. So Electric cars will be main stream way sooner than 2050. There are loads where i live.

Hydrogen will never happen in cars.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites