Toyota Motor Corp. announced that 11 companies in Japan have agreed to collaborate on the “large-scale” construction of hydrogen stations for fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) across the country.

The 11 companies include Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Iwatani Corporation, Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Air Liquide Japan Ltd., Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Development Bank of Japan Inc.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) is aimed at accelerating the construction of hydrogen stations in the current early stage of FCV commercialisation using an “all Japan” approach centered on collaboration among the 11 companies.

This stems from the Japanese government’s “Strategic Roadmap for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells,” which targets a total of 160 operational hydrogen stations and 40,000 in-use FCVs by fiscal 2020.

Under the MoU, the 11 companies will consider establishing a new company in 2017 to implement the plan and ensure the independence of the hydrogen station business.

The new company would aim to: 1) achieve steady construction of hydrogen stations by implementing measures to support hydrogen-station construction and operation, and 2) achieve wider use of FCVs and the independence of the hydrogen station business through activities for reducing costs, including governmental review of regulations, and activities for improving operational efficiencies, thus contributing to the realization of a hydrogen society in Japan.

The 11 companies will consider ways for broad participation by other companies in the future and will disseminate information appropriately.