ENECHANGE and Rakuten, Inc. sign partnership agreement to install EV chargers at Rakuten Travel locations

ENECHANGE Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yohei Kiguchi; COO: Ippei Arita) and Rakuten Group, Inc. (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Hiroshi Mikitani, President and CEO; hereinafter “Rakuten”) have entered into a partnership agreement to expand the installation of EV chargers at lodging facilities participating in Rakuten Travel, a travel booking service operated by Rakuten. Through this partnership, the two companies will work to realize sustainable travel by encouraging the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) and the reduction of CO2 emissions from transportation.

Planned ENECHANGE & Rakuten Travel co-branded EV charger with co-branded logo (image)

Backgrounds

Currently, EVs and PHVs (plug-in hybrid vehicles) are attracting increasing attention in Japan against the backdrop of growing interest in sustainability and soaring gasoline prices. According to a survey conducted by Rakuten Travel (*1), approximately 20% of travelers feel that CO2 emissions during travel and sightseeing are a problem, and approximately 30% of travelers cite “efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and save electricity and energy” as something they like to refer to when choosing a place to stay.

Under these circumstances, Rakuten approached approximately 40,000 accommodation facilities registered with Rakuten Travel in Japan to install ENECHANGE EV Charge EV chargers on their premises. ENECHANGE has now agreed to a partnership agreement in the form of individual coordination and installation with the accommodation facilities for the installation of EV chargers on their premises.

*1　Rakuten Travel “Survey on Awareness of Sustainability in Travel and Tourism”
Survey targets: 1,081 men and women aged 20-69 who have traveled overnight and made their own lodging arrangements within the past two years.
Survey period: August 2021

Partnering with Rakuten Travel to support sustainable travel by promoting the installation of battery chargers at lodging facilities

Rakuten Travel is one of the largest travel reservation services in Japan in terms of the number of registered accommodations, reservations, and word-of-mouth reviews. Rakuten Travel is committed to promoting sustainable travel, and as part of its efforts, ENECHANGE and Rakuten have agreed to expand the installation of EV chargers through this agreement. The two companies will work together to create an environment where travelers can take concrete actions to decarbonize their lives by supporting sustainable travel that allows them to choose EVs as their mode of transportation with peace of mind.

The agreement will promote the installation of co-branded EV chargers and expand the “destination charging” (*2) infrastructure that allows EVs to be charged at travel destinations. EV drivers can use the ENECHANGE Smartphone application to search for EV charging spots, operate the chargers, and make payments. The expansion of EV charging spots in travel destinations made possible by this initiative will enable smoother use of EV charging spots, which is expected to improve convenience for travelers and create a comfortable EV driving experience.

*2 There are three types of EV charging: “basic charging” at home, “route charging” for rapid charging on highways and other roads on the way to a destination, and “destination charging” for additional charging while parked away from home.

Installation support for ENECHANGE EV Charge installers and partner program initiatives

With specific CO2 reduction targets set for 2030 to realize a decarbonized society, the shift to EVs is one of the most pressing issues. ENECHANGE has made it its mission to expand the charging infrastructure, which holds the key to the EV shift, and is conducting its own introduction support campaign with the goal of installing 30,000 ENECHANGE EV Chargers by 2027 (*3).

The need for EV charging services is increasing, especially at commercial and tourist facilities and coin-operated parking lots. In order to meet these needs, ENECHANGE is also actively engaged in a partner program to accelerate the introduction of EV charging services in cooperation with companies, and is aiming to form alliances with 500 companies.

*3 ENECHANGE Press Release, “Investing up to 30 billion yen to install 30,000 units by 2027 under the new EV charging brand “EneChange EV Charge”” (June 29, 2022)

ENECHANGE EV Charge

ENECHANGE EV Charge offers installation of EV charging facilities at minimal upfront cost, making it ideal for charging at public locations such as lodging facilities, commercial facilities, and other public destinations. To improve convenience for EV drivers, we promote the development of domestic EV charging infrastructure by providing EV charger hardware, applications for users, and charging management systems for site hosts.

URL: https://ev-charge.enechange.jp/ *Japanese Only

About Rakuten Group, Inc.

Rakuten provides more than 70 services in a wide range of areas, including Internet services such as commerce, digital content, and advertising; fintech services such as credit cards, banking, securities, insurance, and smartphone app payments; mobile services such as mobile carrier business; and professional sports. These services are provided to Rakuten members. Founded in 1997, Rakuten, Inc. has grown to more than 30,000 employees and 30,000+ members worldwide under the corporate philosophy of “Empowering people and society through innovation”. Today, the Rakuten Group has more than 30,000 employees and operates in 30 countries and regions around the world.
　　　　　　　　　　　
URL: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/

ENECHANGE Ltd.

ENECHANGE is an energy technology company that promotes a carbon-free society through digital technology with the mission of Changing Energy For A Better World. We offer services based on data utilization in the field of the 4Ds of Energy: Deregulation, Digitalization, Decarbonization, and Decentralization. Our company’s roots come from an energy data lab at the University of Cambridge, U.K., a country where liberalization is mature. ENECHANGE has a British subsidiary, SMAP Energy Limited, as well as a global network and analytical technology for energy data.

URL: https://enechange.co.jp/en/

■For inquiries
ENECHANGE Ltd.
pr@enechange.co.jp

■For inquiries about ENECHANGE EV Charge
EV Charging Service Division
ev-charging@enechange.co.jp