The Environment Ministry will be submitting a ¥2 billion (US$18 million) request for its fiscal 2019 budget starting next April to subsidise the purchase of such buses, which run at speeds under 20km/h and carry at least four passengers, The Japan Times reported.
Japan’s government has plans to introduce low-speed electric buses for tourists and residents in areas with greying populations.
The Environment Ministry will be submitting a ¥2 billion (US$18 million) request for its fiscal 2019 budget starting next April to subsidise the purchase of such buses, which run at speeds under 20km/h and carry at least four passengers, The Japan Times reported.
Under the new programme, the government expects to introduce about 100 such buses. Financial aid to cover two-thirds of the cost of a bus will be available for companies seeking to make the switch from gasoline-powered vehicles.
The buses will be able to turn in a small radius and use narrow roads, making them easier for elderly drivers to operate. This also includes microbus-type vehicles that can carry more than a dozen people. Buses can also be recharged using household electricity.
The move to adopt eco-friendly vehicles comes as railroads and standards buses are vanishing in underpopulated areas with driver shortages.
The government is also floating the idea of using information technology to display buses’ operating status online and display destinations on commuter passes.