Toyota Motor Corp. and JXTG Holdings Inc.-owned JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy, along with other automakers and energy companies, aim to almost double hydrogen refueling stations in Japan, the Nikkei Asian Review reported March 6.
Participating companies reportedly will provide funds and staff for the joint venture called Japan H2 Mobility, as part of the government's plan to build 80 new hydrogen refueling stations stations by 2021. The government is targeting 40,000 fuel cell vehicles on the road by 2020, significantly up from the current count of 2,000. The Nikkei added that Japan H2 Mobility's aim is to better compete with electric cars, which now account for 100,000 vehicles in the country. A hydrogen car can cover a distance of 700km to 800km before needing refueling, while an electric car on average covers a distance in between 300km to 400km, according to the report.
Toyota launched its first hydrogen car in 2014, the report added.
The news comes just a few days after Toyota announced that it is forming a new company in Tokyo, which will focus on advanced development for automated driving.
