Ubiden, a Japanese EV charging service provider, plans to install 150,000 EV chargers at residences, primarily targeting condominiums. To achieve this, Ubiden has partnered with Daikyo Astage and Anabuki Community, subsidiaries of Orix Real Estate, which manage over 540,000 units across Japan. Daikyo Astage covers three major metropolitan areas, while Anabuki Community serves major regional cities. This initiative addresses a significant barrier to EV adoption in Japan: the difficulty of charging in apartment settings. The partnership aims to enhance convenience and comfort for EV users in these residential complexes. Kenji Yamamoto of Daikyo Astage emphasized the urgency of installing connectors before government subsidies expire in March. He highlighted that gaining approval from a majority of residents can be challenging due to the limited number of EV users. However, he argued that EV chargers are becoming a basic amenity, potentially increasing property values like elevators. Ubiden charges customers based on consumption rather than time, offering subscription plans ranging from ¥1,780 for 30 kWh to ¥8,000 for 210 kWh. With government subsidies covering up to 95% of installation costs, Japan has set a goal of establishing 300,000 EV charging points by 2030, including 200,000 in apartments. So far, Ubiden has installed 2,000 chargers nationwide.
