Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions of a Super-Efficient Family Car

Table 5-4: Government-Funded Advanced Automotive R&D in Japan

1 I —
Agency Project Comment
MIT/New Sunshine Fuel cell power-generation R&D on many fuel cell types
Program

MITI/JEVA

MITI/Agency of Natural

Resources and Energy

Technology -

Ceramic gas turbine

Dispersed-type battery energy

storage technology

including some 700 million yen

for 1 kW proton exchange

membrane modules (1992-1995).

1988-1996 at about 1.8 billion

yen per year; focus is on 300 kW

turbines for power generation,

though past public and private

R&D have given Japan the lead in

automotive ceramics.

1992-2001, with total funding of

14 billion yen, focus is on high-

energy-density, long-life batteries

for stationary or vehicle

applications.

Lean NOx catalysts 1993-2000, to develop better

catalyst compositions to remove

NOX from the exhaust of lean-

bum engines. Japan is a world

leader in this technology.

Hydrogen energy system 1993-2020, currently in planning

stages, includes R&D on use of

mobile needs.

Electric vehicle (EV) 5-year program begun in 1992,

popularization -

Eco-Station 2000

total funding is 1.1 billion yen.

The goal is to demonstrate

optimum load-leveling measures

and charging systems for the mass

introduction of EVs

1993-2000, goal is to have a

nationwide network of 2,000

alternate fuels by the year 2000.

SOURCE: Office of Technology Assessment, 1995.