Establishment of CHAdeMO Association in Japan to Promote Electric Vehicles

TOKYO, Japan, 15 March, 2010 -- Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Company, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd and The Tokyo electric Power Company, Inc., have formally established "CHAdeMO Association" under the resolution of its general assembly held today. The five companies above have become its executive members.

CHAdeMO Association aims to increase quick-charger installations worldwide indispensable to further diffusion of electric vehicles and to standardize how to charge the vehicles. Last August, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Fuji Heavy Industries, and TEPCO started a preparatory committee. Then, TOYOTA joined the committee and the Association has been established with the five companies as its executive members. As of today, 158 business entities and government bodies including 20 foreign companies are expected to join the Association, such as automakers, electric utilities, charger manufacturers, charging service providers, and other supporting groups.

Electric vehicles(including Plug In Hybrid electric vehicles) can contribute enormously to reduction of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector. The Association is going to promote the electric vehicles through the efforts of technical improvements of quick chargers, standardization activities of charging methods, and international extension of our knowledge related to quick-charger installations.

CHAdeMO is a trade name of quick charging method that this Association is proposing globally as an industry standard. "CHAdeMO" is an abbreviation of "CHArge de MOve", equivalent to "charge for moving", and is a pun for "O cha demo ikaga desuka" in Japanese, meaning "Let’s have a tea while charging" in English.