Adoption of electric vehicles in Japan has been sluggish, in part due to consumer reluctance to give up traditional internal combustion engines. Lexus' parent company, Toyota Motor, has also been cautious about embracing electric cars. Watanabe argues that one reason for the slow adoption is a lack of charging facilities.
Watanabe stated, as reported by Bloomberg, "We’re asking ourselves, how can we make the experience better? How can we utilize and work closely with our Japanese dealer network to test bed different kinds of services and new kinds of experiences to make the whole BEV experience better?"
Watanabe emphasized that there's a scarcity of charging stations in Japan, suggesting that any new installation would likely be welcomed. Hence, the company is currently exploring and progressing with plans to launch Lexus-branded charging outlets.
He opines that Japan could serve as an experimental ground for initiatives that could later be deployed in other regions. Particularly in markets where the adoption of electric vehicles is already more robust.
Lexus isn't the pioneer in the idea of launching a proprietary charging network. Tesla’s Supercharger infrastructure has set the standard in the U.S., prompting many other car makers to adopt its plug format to benefit from its network.
Beyond Tesla, other luxury automotive brands like Mercedes, Audi, and Porsche are also pondering the establishment of their own specialized charging facilities. They think offering a brand-centric, upscale experience could make the charging wait more agreeable for their customers.
Source: Bloomberg
