Japan takes the leads on fuel cells!

Want to go green? You’re likely going to be going Japanese, if this article is to be believed. We’ll see how soon fuel cell cars actually go into production but here’s to hoping. Save gas for the rest of us!

燃料電池車、国際基準に日本案 国連 フォーラムが採択

【ジュネーブ共同】自動車の安全対策な どに関する国際基準を策定する国連欧州経 済委員会のフォーラムは２７日、ジュネー ブの国連欧州本部で会合を開き、燃料電池 車の安全基準案を全会一致で採択、基準の 大部分に日本の案が採用された。

燃料電池車は温室効果ガスをほとんど排 出せず、環境に優しい「究極のエコカー」 と注目されている。日本の基準採用で、国 内各メーカーは輸出が容易になり、国際的 なシェア獲得で優位に立てそうだ。

各社は２０１５年ごろに量産車の市販開 始を目指しており、世界販売台数は２５年 でも１３０万台程度の見通し。日本政府は 今月、「世界最速普及」方針を閣議決定し た。

http://www.sanin-chuo.co.jp/newspack/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1218072009

Fuel cell cars, UN forum adopts Japanese proposal on international standards

A UN Europe Economic Committee forum met at the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva on the 27 th to discuss the authoring of international standards on automobile safety. They unanimously adopted safety guidelines on fuel cell cars, of which the large part was based on a Japanese proposal.

Fuel cell cars emit almost no gasses that cause global warming and are known as the “ultimate ecocar” in terms of being kind to the environment. With Japan’s standards being adopted, it seems likely that domestic manufacturers will have an easy time exporting and gain a preeminent share of global markets.

All companies are aiming to bring mass production cars to market by 2015 and sales by 2025 are projected to be 1.3 million vehicles. The Japanese government adopted a policy aiming for “fastest spread in the world” this month.