The Japanese postal service plans on 21,000 electric vehicles. Japan Post has been testing the vehicles since 2009 to evaluate their cost and performance. At the moment it replaces around 3,000 of its delivery and other vehicles each year and has decided initially to make one third of the annual replacements electric vehicles.
Zerosports will get almost all of the company's electric vehicle orders for the fiscal year 2011, which ends in March, 2012. Accordingly, the Japan Post Service will soon be delivering mail in converted electric vehicles. Japan Post Service Co. has placed an order to purchase 1,030 electric vehicles from Japan-based Zerosports Co., Ltd. for its mail delivery and collection service. The Zero EVs are actually converted from gasoline- powered Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. commercial vehicles.
In order to convert the gas-powered automobile into an electric vehicle, the engine, transmission and gas tank must all be removed. The converted mini-vans are then equipped with an electric motor, lithium ion battery pack and other components from Japanese businesses.
With plenty of storage space, the Zero EV costs about 20-30% less than other electric vehicles and can travel up to 100 km (62 miles) on an 8 hour charge.
30 Zero EVs will be ordered during the 2010 fiscal year and an additional 1,000 will be ordered in fiscal 2011. Japan Post has been testing electric vehicles from several companies including Zerosports and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. to evaluate performance and cost.
In 2009, Zerosports delivered two converted mail trucks to the postal service for testing on mail routes. After the evaluation, seven more trucks were ordered. With a fleet of 21,000 vehicles, the vast majority, about 20,000, are used to pick up and transport mail. Zerosports, based in Gifu Prefecture, has developed several electric vehicles since 1998. The company has supplied commercial electric vehicles to various companies, pharmaceutical firms and local governments.
Tesla in Japan
Tesla Motors' all-electric Roadster, currently one of the few highway-capable fully electric vehicles on the market, has secured approval under the Japanese government's Clean Energy Cash Rebate program, aimed at accelerating adoption of electric and plug-in vehicles by offering buyers cash incentives.
The Tesla Roadster is the only qualified import vehicle and the second road car to qualify under the Japanese rebate program after the plug-in electric Toyota Prius.
Under the rebate initiative, Roadster buyers are eligible to receive a cash rebate of up to ¥3.24m ($38,000).Tesla claims that the carbon fiber Roadster accelerates to 100km per hour in under four seconds, faster than many conventional sports cars. It plugs into any conventional socket and can travel an unusually long distance - 394km (240 miles) - on a single charge, if handled appropriately.
Tesla has delivered more than 1,200 Roadsters to the US, Europe and Asia, and entered the Japanese market in May.
For more read: Electric Vehicles in East Asia 2011-2021
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