Nissan partners with Kohnan Shoji to expand Japan car-sharing service

Nissan's e-share mobi car-sharing service will expand to 100 new locations in Japan through a partnership with retailer Kohnan Shoji Co., Ltd.

The service lets customers use the new Nissan LEAF electric car or the Nissan Note e-POWER for periods of as little as 15 minutes. It will be available at about a third of Kohnan's home centre stores in the country by the end of March 2019, the companies announced.

The expansion will give more customers the chance to experience the advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies of the 100% electric LEAF and the Note e-POWER, which features an electric powertrain. The service combines Nissan's leadership in vehicle electrification with its commitment to developing new mobility services, including car-sharing and robo-taxi ride-hailing.

Nissan aims to sell 1 million electrified vehicles a year by the end of fiscal year 2022, as part of its Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022 global midterm plan. The plan also calls for expanding the e-share mobi service to 500 locations in Japan by the end of the current fiscal year.

Adding the service at Kohnan's stores will make it easier for customers who don't have cars to bring home large items they've purchased. Each of the new stations will also have an electric car charger, further contributing to the promotion of electric vehicles.