More electric car charging points in Japan than gas stations

Japan and Israel (and Singapore and Korea) are great places to do massive electric vehicle promotions. All have sophisticated consumers, the incentive to go renewables, and the traffic congestion that makes regular combustion vehicles not so efficient.

Yeah, but where does the electricity come from? Oh, woops, nuclear power plants? Certainly not all sustainable by solar power... sorry for being cynical.

When the nukes were all off-line post-Fukushima, the government instituted feed in tariff policies that actually induced a huge increase in the number of solar and wind projects. But the electricity zoku 族 -- power companies and their political party supporters -- ended this project. Japan needs the nukes, but it also needs the solar and wind and the fuel cell. In particular, this could spur some of the energy innovation that Japan can regenerate. The other advantage of the renewables is scalability. Nukes require a massive up front investment, coupled with constant monitoring (something that is ironically not a strong suit of the Japanese nuke industry) and ending with massive problems of decommissioning and fuel/waste management.

Let us help Panasonic, Sharp, GS Yuasa, and like minded companies to help make the energy innovations that Japan needs.

Tahoochi, it's still a million times better then Combustion engines driven on gas. The amount of electricity needed to drive an electric car a while year amounts to nothing compared to what a househol needs. Also Nucleqr power may have the problem of having no way of disposal more then burying it deep within mountains but after that there is absolutely no eviromental issues. Although Japan may not be the beat country to have them in becasou of all the freaking earthquakes and tsunamis but there is a reason for why they have the need for that also. And as long as we can stop using coal plants and Gasolin. Both thw enviroment and airnwe breath would be better. Bit as long as there is money to be made The USA will lever lett that happen.

Sometimes its hard to believe what one has to read in Japan....

"The country’s No. 2 automaker Nissan says there are now 40,000 charging units—including those inside private homes—across the nation, compared with 34,000 petrol stations."

With a little bit of thought its easy to remember that most charging units serve ONE car, as they long to private residences of people who own an electric car. While 34.000 petrol stations serve 34 millions....

As the joke goes "We do not need nuclear power plants, our electricity comes from the power point in the garage wall..."

How come we see so few electric cars in Japan then, I wonder. I haven't seen a charging station in Japan yet.

How come we see so few electric cars in Japan then, I wonder. I haven't seen a charging station in Japan yet.

You must be walking around with your eyes closed or keeping to a very small local area. They are there, they exist.

Tahoochi, it's still a million times better then Combustion engines driven on gas.

Sorry, but this is not true. Since all electricity in Japan now comes from fossil fuels, electric cars optimally are no less polluting than cars with internal combustion engines. Worse yet, about 75% of the electricity generated in a power plant is lost in transmission through resistance and radiation. Some studies indicate that an electric car, regularly driven, using power from a fossil fuel power plant can consume three to six times as much energy as a conventional car with an internal combustion engine. Your typical house on an average day creates as much as five times the CO2 that a car with an internal combustion engine would make.

If the power comes from wind, solar, hydro-electric, or nuclear, then electric cars are clean. If you in Japan though, an electric car is just as dirty as any other car.

Not mentioned yet was hydrogen, which people also think is green, except that you need to burn fossil fuels to make hydrogen. 95% of the hydrogen produced in the world comes from fossil fuels.

But as long as people think their cars are green, at least they can feel good about themselves.

With a little bit of thought its easy to remember that most charging units serve ONE car

And with a little more thought, one should hopefully be able to comprehend why that is good news.

No trip to get fuel. No trucks or ships to transport the fuel. No refineries. No relying on foreign resources and being vulnerable to any local politics. No pirates (if you've kept up with the news, tankers are getting hijacked and their oil stolen). And a lot less infrastructure and pollution. Because any home that has external power, and most do, can manage their own supply.

And this is the same country that prefers flip phones over smartphones.

If that's all people need, why should they do otherwise?

Since all electricity in Japan now comes from fossil fuels

Are you aware of hydroelectric power?

But as long as people think their cars are green, at least they can feel good about themselves.

What's your alternative?

I'm skeptical at the net effect on the environment with these cars. I assume in Japan it might be closer to neutral, but it's also a fact that in Australia electric cars powered by brown coal are far worse for the environment than petrol.

volland - re reading - you will note gas stations greater ability to service is mentioned.

sangetsu - hydrogen was mentioned - fuel cells. & the studies you mentioned are not supported by all.

@Sangetsu

Just a note.. Hydrogen is the most common and most abundant element in the universe. That the "95% of hydrogen produce in the world comes form fossil fuel" is preposterous.

There are many sources and many ways to get Hydrogen.

As for the electrical "stations" there are very few "public stations" that I know of... I think most of the charge stations are private and mostly in households... but if you think about it... at least the Leaf is pretty efficient so you can get around with one charge and you can even "drive & charge" so the lack of public charge points can some how be overlooked (but we need more).

I don't understand why people get so upset with the electric cars and FCVs... saying that "they pollute the same", I think you are misguided and simply jealous maybe??

@Burning Bush

Depends for what you are using the car.

For myself, an electric car will be used to get around in town... go to the mall, to shop for groceries, have luch, etc. and go home. So the distance and charging time are not a major issue in that sense.

True is that I will also like to go driving and or camping, in that case I will (and I want) to use a FCV...

I have seen charging stations in parking lots, such as Times parking. It is becoming more popular.

I woukd not count residential areas because I would want to know how many WHILE I'm driving.

@sangetsu

i think the commentator was referring to e-cars in general, and not only in japan. yes, you are correct, at the moment, that using an e-car will produce more CO2 and S02 due to the limited use of renewables in japan, but that situation will change dramatically in the near future as more nuclear, and solar, power plants come online.

Greenwash: tailpipes swapped for smokestacks.

40,000 charging units—including those inside private homes—across the nation

Private home charging stations do make electrical car usage more convenient. Propaganda (or "spin", if you like) from a company desperate to move more units of a sluggishly selling model.

Even if the electricity is generalted from fossel fuels, while the CO2 footprint not be lower, dirty emissions (nox sox etc) will be confined to centralised power stations rather than the millions of tin boxes people drive around the cities. And besides - if I decided to buy an electric car all the electricity would be renable solar from our roof as would many other eco-minded people who would be the first to buy electric cars.

Even if the electricity is generalted from fossel fuels, while the CO2 footprint not be lower, dirty emissions (nox sox etc) will be confined to centralised power stations rather than the millions of tin boxes people drive around the cities

Hardly a laudable advance, unfortunately. I hate fossil fuels as much as the next guy, but the Leaf fails to satisfactorily address consumers' range anxiety, hence its autumnal sales results.

Electric cars with tiny gasoline range extenders (like the BMW i3) seem a more assuring interim solution.

They need all those recharging points - the range of electric cars is much less than that of a normal car.

@ reformed basher

Someone asked you: „But as long as people think their cars are green, at least they can feel good about themselves.“ And you answered: „What's your alternative?“

It is simple: Build an infrastructure of roads, similar to the one that they have in First Woirld Countries. Try travelling on what are normal roads here, not the pay-expressways, maybe to a another suburb 25kms away. It will take you three hours. Bcause they are not even able to synchronize the greeen lights. Of pay almost 2000 Yen getting there and back.

But then… why change. The express ways make tons of money, and trains and ridiculously expensive buses also makes lots of profits.

As the forist pointed out, those electric are a lot less environment unfriendly, as long as electricity is produced the way it is.

Here is another hint: Reserach the profits of Telsa cars… they are going down, down, down….

Daniel NeagariFeb. 18, 2015 - 12:52PM JST For myself, an electric car will be used to get around in town... go to the mall, to shop for groceries, have luch, etc. and go home. So the distance and charging time are not a major issue in that sense.

There are options. On cars like Nissan Leaf or any other electric cars, the manufacturer can offer a built in portable gas generator (15-20 litre tank) so that you can charge anywhere. Even if there is no power outlet in the city or countryside, you can charge. Like the internal combustion engine cars, the electrical cars has to be more self sustained to be accepted by the public. It makes it more practical to drive longer distance and use it as a main car if you know that you can always charge, even though you might have to wait few hours. With the rising cost, I doubt charging stations around the cities and countryside will be practical. There will never be enough.

Many seem to forget that the idea of electric cars is to stop air pollution. Ice cars pollute every second they run their engines and also require the same electricity to be manufactured...maybe more, considering all the parts they have that electrics do not have. So if reg gas stations can service more cars at a time to pollute the air more; that is a mark against them, not for them. Electric could easily get more range, but the makers don't want to release them, as they make greater profits on what they sell now. The biggest problem, as always, is the greed of billionaires. Profits over everything. People now, do not yet realize how trouble free electrics are and it will be many years before this will show.

Just a note.. Hydrogen is the most common and most abundant element in the universe. That the "95% of hydrogen produce in the world comes form fossil fuel" is preposterous.

Google is your friend,

Wikipedia "Currently, the majority of hydrogen (∼95%) is produced from fossil fuels by steam reforming or partial oxidation of methane and coal gasification with only a small quantity by other routes such as biomass gasification or electrolysis of water.[3]"

@sangetsu

You are using only wikipedia as your reference?... you have to bring so more better references to state that...

by the way.. it seems you did not read the article fully

Now... in all fairness I am only going to refer what is say in the Wikipedia article you state. Yes, one of the common ways to extract Hydrogen use right now is from organic hydrocarbons (fossil)... but the process is not quite the same as to obtain gasoline, diesel and other fuels..... It seems that the CO2 production can be controlled and even avoid to be liberated to the atmosphere... so there is one point to Hydrogen production.

Also, ir you refer to this article (in wikipedia... since we are stating only this source) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen

It seems, that the production of fuels from petroil need a fair amount of Hydrogen... so that means that we are already producing a lot of Hydrogen to produce fuels.... so double pollution there it seem... yet another score to hydrogen.

Indeed, "Google is your friend" and reading is your Nanny

The entire area of Japan in the size of just one, medium-sized state in the U.S. And there lies the problem. So, tell you what, invent the 500-mile or 1,000-mile on a charge electric car, and then it will catch on in the United States. And even if was just an every day driver, Today's EVs would not be enough. I live in a small metro area (around 500,000 - 600,000 in the entire metro), not a big city. But, by the time I drive to work, leave work, pick one child up at soccer practice, my other at gymnastics, and then drive home, I'd be over in miles what today's EVs could be relied upon. And I would absolutely have to use heat in the winter and AC in the summer, which would make the mileage on a charge a lot less. Where I live the summers get to a sticky, humid, dripping, heat index of 110 F (43.3 C), and in the winters ... well, yesterday in the middle of the afternoon, with the sun shinning, it was 10 F (-12 C ) with a wind chill of -12 F (-24.4 C). Those tree-hugging hippies living in the bay area of California, with a job in a coffee shop 4 blocks away, no kids, and 80˚F summers with 60˚F winters, think since they can exist with a tiny little plug-in EV, everyone can. They never think beyond themselves, and they think they should make decisions for everyone else in there fascist little frame of mind.