Toyota Motor plans to install 500 more high-speed chargers for electric vehicles at dealerships in Japan — a goal that adds to its existing network but falls short of the pledge it made to install 10 times that number.
The carmaker aims to have the 500 fast chargers installed by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2026, a spokesperson said. There are currently 390 high-speed chargers and approximately 3,800 normal-speed chargers at its dealerships across Japan.
Toyota’s slower pace underscores the challenge of scaling infrastructure in a market still dominated by hybrids and hesitant consumer demand. The world’s biggest carmaker pledged in 2021 to roll out 30 new EVs by 2030, and to have high-speed charging stations at all of its roughly 5,000 domestic locations by around 2025.
"We do not focus on achieving a set number of chargers, but rather, install them based on needs and usage,” the spokesperson said.
By 2030, the Japanese government aims to have 30,000 high-speed chargers, and to make them easily accessible by installing them at convenience stores, gasoline stations and other locations.
By then, roughly half of the approximately 20,000 automobile dealerships in Japan would be equipped with fast chargers, according to a projection by the country’s trade ministry.
Chief Executive Officer Koji Sato has also said Toyota might need to revise its goal to sell 1.5 million EVs annually by 2026.
Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors — both of which were early adopters of EV technology — have already installed high-speed charging stations at most of their outlets. That equates to approximately 90% of Nissan’s dealerships, and about 94% for Mitsubishi, according to the companies.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.