September 21, 2005

Fiscal 2004 Low-Emission Vehicle Shipments Posted on JAMA Web Site

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (Chairman: Itaru Koeda) posted on its Web site on September 21, 2005 the figures for Japanese automakers' shipments of low-emission vehicles (LEVs) for fiscal year 2004.

In an effort to offset global warming and counteract atmospheric pollution, automakers are working to develop, and promote the diffusion of, vehicles with reduced impact on the environment.

Against a backdrop of rising concern over the issue of automotive environmental impact, JAMA and its individual member manufacturers have been posting on their Web sites comprehensive, annually updated statistics on LEV ex-factory shipments every fiscal year since FY 2000.

The JAMA Web site posts total number of (unit) shipments and total (unit) shipments by manufacturer. For details, consult the site at: http://www.jama.or.jp/eco/eco_car/shipment/index.html
JAMA member manufacturers' Web sites post total number of units shipped by individual manufacturer.

Today's posting of LEV unit shipment figures for fiscal 2004 is as follows

Summary of FY 2004 Data:

The total number of all types of low-emission vehicles shipped was 4,206,921 units (an increase of 189,237 units over the previous fiscal year, for a 104.7% year-on-year increase).

The breakdown according to vehicle type shows 17 electric vehicles (a decrease of 32 units, or 34.7%, compared with the previous fiscal year); 66,540 hybrid vehicles (an increase of 24,117 units, or 156.8%, compared with the previous fiscal year); 3,265 natural gas vehicles (a decrease of 587 units, or 84.8%, compared with the previous fiscal year); and 3,121 diesel-alternative LPG vehicles (a decrease of 123 units, or 96.2%, compared with the previous fiscal year). The total for fuel cell powered vehicles, for which statistics have been kept from FY 2003, was 4 units (a decrease of 10 units, or 28.6%, compared with the previous fiscal year).

For vehicles certified in the high fuel economy/low-emissions category, implemented from FY 2003 was a system of certifying emissions compared to FY 2005 standard values (4-star <****> rating for 75% reduction and 3-star <***> rating for 50% reduction from FY 2005 regulation standards). In addition to the conventional ranking platform of "ultra-low emissions" (3-star <***> rating for 75% reduction from FY 2000 regulation standards), "excellent low-emissions" (2-star <**> rating for 50% reduction from FY 2000 standards) and "good low emissions" (1-star <*> rating for 25% reduction from FY 2000 standards), these new categories have raised the overall low-emission vehicle rating system to a 5-level ranking.

The breakdown in the high fuel-economy, low-emissions category shows 928,723 high fuel-economy, ultra-low emission vehicles (**** -see chart below), an increase of 855,297 units, or 1264.8%, compared with the previous fiscal year; 2,442,167 high fuel-economy, excellent low-emission vehicles (*** Y2005), an increase of 2,079,078 units, or 672.6%, compared with the previous fiscal year; 2,521,106 high fuel-economy, ultra-low emission vehicles (*** Y2000), a decrease of 2,291,601 units, or 9.1%, compared with the previous fiscal year; 322,059 high fuel-economy, excellent low-emission vehicles (**), a decrease of 276,113 units, or 53.8%, compared with the previous fiscal year; and 211,520 high fuel-economy, good low-emission vehicles (*), a decrease of 200,789 units, or 51.3%, compared with the previous fiscal year. As the figures indicates, high fuel-economy, excellent low-emission vehicles (*** Y2005) and the above accounts mostly of the result.

Low-Emission Vehicle Shipments in FY 2004 (by unit)

		Passenger Cars		Trucks		Buses	Total
		Regular / Compact	Mini	Regular / Compact	Mini	Buses	Total
Alternative-fuel vehicles	Fuel cell powered vehicles	4	0	0	0	0	4
	Electric vehicles	0	17	0	0	0	17
	Hybrid vehicles	65,296	0	1,209	0	35	66,540
	Natural gas vehicles	93	87	2,141	811	133	3,265
	Methanol vehicles	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Subtotal	65,393	104	3,350	811	168	69,826
High fuel-economy, low-emission vehicles (see Notes)	Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (U-LEV) Clears year 2005 exhaust emissions standard by 75% ****	824,792	102,444	1,487	0	0	928,723
	Excellent Low-Emission Vehicle (E-LEV) Clears year 2005 exhaust emissions standard by 50% ***	1,390,259	836,215	107,475	108,218	0	2,442,167
	Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (U-LEV) Clears year 2000 exhaust emissions standard by 75% ***	214,547	10,515	4,442	1	0	229,505
	Excellent Low-Emission Vehicle (E-LEV) Clears year 2000 exhaust emissions standard by 50%**	8,936	671	4	312,448	0	322,059
	Good Low-Emission Vehicle (G-LEV) Clears year 2000 exhaust emissions standard by 25% *	124,804	78,761	0	7,955	0	211,520
	Subtotal	2,563,338	1,028,606	113,408	428,622	0	4,133,974
Diesel-alternative LPG vehicles		0	0	3,089	0	32	3,121
Total		2,628,731	1,028,710	119,847	429,433	200	4,206,921

[Notes:] This category covers vehicles that have already attained recommended fuel economy targets as established by Japan's Energy Conservation Law, and that are certified low-emission vehicles in accordance with the low-emission vehicle certification guidelines.

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