Japanese Carmakers to Help Build Hydrogen Infrastructure

Honda, Nissan and Toyota have agreed to provide joint financial support to develop a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in Japan for fuel cell-powered vehicles. The country's national and local governments also will help subsidize new hydrogen stations.

The three carmakers will pay for one-third of the operating expenses of new hydrogen stations capped at 11 million yen ($89,000) per year for each station selected by Japan's Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center initiative. The program will run through 2020, during which the companies expect to contribute a combined 5 billion-6 billion yen ($40 million-$48 million).

There currently are 23 hydrogen stations in Japan, most of them not accessible to the general public. But hundreds more planned, and some of the existing stations can qualify for retroactive financial aid.

The auto industry has been testing prototype fuel cell vehicles on public roads for more than a decade, and several carmakers now are beginning to launch mass-production models. Toyota's new Mirai midsize car bows this autumn in California.

Last year, Japan announced plans to offer subsidies to buyers of fuel cell vehicles that would cover more than one-third of their purchase price. Fuel cell vehicles are part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe larger vision to create a "hydrogen society" in which fuel cells also will power homes and office buildings.