2023

Signing of Contracts for a Car-Sharing PoC Project on Electric Vehicles in Gunma Prefecture

Feb. 10, 2023
Marubeni Corporation

Gunma Prefecture and Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, "Marubeni"), together with Marubeni Power Retail Corporation (“MPRC”), Ryunichi Holdings Corporation (“Ryunichi”), and Fuji Rent/Lease Co., Ltd. (“Fuji Rent Lease”), have signed contracts to implement a car-sharing PoC project on electric vehicles (“EVs”) in Gunma Prefecture (“the Project”).

Under the Project, a total of twenty EVs will be installed at five government-owned facilities in Gunma Prefecture. These EVs will be actively used as official vehicles on weekdays by utilizing the vehicle reservation with a fleet management system “Omakase EV for Biz”*. On weekends and holidays, the EVs will be rented out as car-sharing vehicles to local residents and tourists, creating opportunities to use EVs and contributing to the reduction of CO₂ emissions. In addition, a solar carport will be installed at one of the EV installation locations, and by using electricity derived from solar power stored in stationary storage batteries, EVs will be able to run entirely on electricity derived from renewable energy and the equivalent (certified carbon-offset electricity, etc.). 

A Subaru Solterra, the type of EV to be used in the Project A Subaru Solterra, the type of EV to be used in the Project

Gunma Prefecture is accelerating its efforts to realize the “Gunma Five Zeros Declaration” toward 2050, and one of the challenges is to decarbonize the transportation sector, including official vehicles. In addition to actively promoting the use of EVs on weekdays and holidays, this Project aims to decarbonize the entire flow of EV use by using locally produced and consumed renewable energy-derived electricity when charging EVs.

Marubeni formulated its long-term vision for climate change in March 2021 and, in its medium-term management strategy GC2024, has positioned green strategy as one of its basic policies to enhance corporate value. In the EV business, Marubeni has established a service to provide comprehensive EV support, from installation to further utilization. Through the Project, Marubeni will support customers by introducing EVs and electricity derived from renewable energy and the equivalent (certified carbon-offset electricity, etc.), contributing to the decarbonization of local governments and companies by providing one-stop comprehensive solutions to improve the efficiency of energy consumption.

*Omakase EV for Biz: A fleet management service that optimizes the timing of dispatching and charging EVs owned by corporations (https://omakase-ev.net/)

■ Overview of the Project

Organization Selection Method Public proposal (September to December, 2022)
Description ・Verification of EV car-sharing operation status
・Calculation of CO₂ emission reductions through the use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources, including power generated by solar carports
・Calculation of the effect of reducing CO₂ emissions during weekday use by actively dispatching EVs through “Omakase EV for Biz”
・Establishment of various patterns of facility utilization in the event of a disaster
Period July 2023 to June 2026 (planned)
Venue and Equipment Installed (planned) 20 EVs, 20 EV chargers, solar car port (using reuse panels), stationary storage batteries.
EVs will be Subaru Solterras .
Image of Project Overview Image of Project Overview
■ Role Assignment  
Representative organization: Marubeni Organizing decarbonization and BCP solutions, providing “Omakase EV for Biz”
The following organizations are members of the project:    
MPRC Purchase of surplus power from solar carports; supply of electricity derived from renewable energy and the equivalent (certified carbon-offset electricity, etc.)
Ryunichi Providing an EV car-sharing system
Fuji Rent Lease    Leasing EVs
■ Company Overview  
Marubeni  
Company name: Marubeni Corporation
Head Office: 1-4-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: December 1, 1949
Representative: Masumi Kakinoki
   
MPRC  
Company name: Marubeni Power Retail Corporation
Head Office: Marubeni Building, 4-2, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: January 21, 2011
Representative: Akira Suda
   
Ryunichi  
Company name: Ryunichi Holdings Corporation
Head Office: 1-1, Minatogawa 2-chome, Urasoe City, Okinawa, Japan
Representative: Soujin Nakaima
   
Fuji Rent Lease  
Company name: Fuji Rent/Lease Co.,Ltd.
Head Office: 2-11-2 Honmachi, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture
Representative: Kenji Ogawa

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