Nissan to test ultra-compact EV in Yokohama Car Sharing Project

Nissan Motor Co is to conduct a local trial run of the Ultra-Compact Mobility Certification System, a car-sharing network for residents of the Sakonyama Danchi District in Yokohama City’s Asahi Ward. Nissan will be collaborating with Urban Renaissance (UR), a semipublic housing agency associated with Kanagawa Prefecture’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s (MLIT) Kanto District Transport Bureau, to study the possibilities of using ultra-compact EVs as a method for revitalising urban and suburban areas. This local test of the car-sharing network will be implemented from late March 2015 until the end of March 2016.

The trial will assess the potential of ultra-compact electric vehicles as a catalyst in revitalising large-scale, urban and suburban commuting methods, and will gauge the value of ultra-compact EVs as short-range modes of transport that can complement public transportation.

For the car-sharing project, the F-rents Community System (automated key rental devices) from the industry’s top condominium delivery storage locker company, Fulltime System Co will be utilised. This system has already proven to be successful with more than 60 condominium car-sharing vehicles in place. The incorporation of Fulltime System’s FTS Control Center will allow for 24/7 online monitoring of the rented devices.

In 2013, ultra-compact EVs were used as official parking enforcement and patrol vehicles for the Urban Renaissance agency, and in 2014, they were used for revitalisation activities for the non-profit corporation, ‘All Sakonyama’. These trials showcased the ultra-compact EV’s utility and advantages in local community settings, such as their ability to navigate narrow roads within multi-unit apartment complexes, in addition to proving their versatility for short-distance commutes.

For fiscal year 2015, instead of keeping with previous trial runs where the car-sharing program was focused on limited users, this project intends to implement fee-based car-sharing trial runs for a broader scope of users in these apartment complexes to further promote practical application of the ultra-compact EVs.