Toyota Investing to Build Electric Infrastructure in Japan

The major hurdle for electric car revolves around charging. There is a limited amount of charging stations, and the cars take too long to charge for most buyers. One of those problems is much more simple to solve. ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
4570 photos
10 videos
is investing to build more electric car charging stations in Japan. It is beginning by testing technology in Aichi Prefecture by installing chargers and testing them from November 2012 to March 2013. 

Like in most places, there is no centralized system for installing electric car chargers in Japan. Some are built by municipalities and others are commercial. Toyota says that there is no concrete way for either group to recoup their costs on the chargers yet. That is what this test will attempt to solve. 

Toyota's test will try to find the optimal location, operation and billing for charging stations. It will test coin-operated chargers. It will install chargers at commercial hubs, public facilities and pay-by-hour car parks to find where users are most likely to charge. 

The charger that Toyota will use for the test is called the G-Station. It has Wi-Fi connectability that will allow testers to evaluate various operating hours and prices that can be changed at any time. 

Some of the chargers will be installed with subsidies from the Aichi Prefecture government.