JCLP urges the Japanese government to accelerate the transition to zero emissions commercial vehicles
JCLP urges the Japanese government to accelerate
the transition to zero emissions commercial vehicles
Tokyo, Japan, May 13 2022 – Japan Climate Leaders’ Partnership (JCLP), a coalition of 211 companies committed to climate action, has released “Statement on the Transition to Zero Emission Commercial Vehicles”. The statement was submitted to the relevant ministries of Japan.
JCLP welcomes the release of the revised growth strategy last year, which includes a new target for commercial vehicles and additional measures to increase EV uptake, as well as the commitments by Japanese automotive makers to set or increase their ZEV sales targets.
However, the ZEV transition is rapidly accelerating globally, and Japan is in urgent need to ramp up its efforts. In the statement, JCLP suggests as follows.
Accelerating the shift of commercial vehicles to ZEVs: Why does it matter?
1. Commercial vehicles are one of the primary sources of Japan’s carbon emissions. Shift to zero emission vehicles, therefore, is critical for Japan to
unfailingly meet its emissions reduction target and overcome the climate crisis.
2. Falling behind the globally booming ZEV transition will have serious implications for the competitiveness of the Japanese automotive industry and
the national economy as a whole.
3. With the increase of companies looking to decarbonize their entire supply chains, the demand for ZEVs is growing.
Statement on accelerating the transition to commercial ZEVs:
1. We call for more ambitious numerical targets for Japan to spearhead the global ZEV transition.
Japan’s targets are far from the global standard, as they include hybrids, which are not internationally recognized as ZEVs. Also, there is no target for electrification of heavy-duty vehicles (8t or above). We call on the government to review and update Japan’s ZEV targets to exclude hybrids and to set one for heavy-duty vehicles.
2. Robust government support is urgently needed for the development and rollout of ZEVs and charging infrastructure.
To achieve the ambitious targets, public assistance for the development of vehicles and charging infrastructure will be critical. Assistance for the rollout of charging stations and incentives for ZEV uptake in the early phase of market deployment will also be vital for further expanding the market and driving down prices.
3. Policy and regulatory frameworks should be flexible in order to allow for new business models and effective energy management.
We urge the government to create an enabling environment for new business models, such as battery swapping for EVs, with flexible policy and regulatory frameworks.
Download the full statement here.
Download the press release here.