Japan is the land of great car manufacturers. Besides the massive Toyota group of companies we have many other choices. Daihatsu, Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Suzuki, Honda, and Subaru. This is not including the truck manufacturers such as Isuzu, Hino, UD, and Mitsubishi Fuso…. In short, there are a lot of choices when it comes to cars in Japan in particular (seven brands to be sure).
When you talk about electric vehicles (EVs) domestically, Nissan has been the lead with their popular Leaf, and now the Nissan Sakura. The Sakura was apparently the top selling EV in Japan in 2024. However, you don’t see many of them on the road far away from their home areas as the range is only about 100km on a charge.
Despite all these choices, Tesla introduced their vehicles in the market. They sell thousands of cars and SUVs in Japan every year. Our company always tries to support those brands that use our products and services. For years, we have used Toyota for company cars (Toyota has shares in telecommunications companies in Japan). However, in Dec 2021 AINEO bought our first Tesla company car. Driving an EV is a completely different experience from and ICE (internal combustion engine)
The Car Is Now “A Device”
The first thing we have to learn is that an EV is really a device, not an ICE car. There are no more oil changes, engine checks, or other maintenance associated with a combustion engine based car. Tesla sends frequent updates to your vehicle which you can update via your WIFI at your home or location. Our first vehicle has been updated nearly 20 times since it was delivered. It’s always getting better.
Understanding Battery Power
For a person new to electric powered vehicles you must get used to the concept that you charge your vehicle. When you park it, you always have it plugged in. Our vehicle has a range of 540 kilometers in optimal weather conditions. When it gets over 35 degrees in the summer, you will get a bit less range. However, generally you can go anywhere thanks to the vast network of super chargers (600 as of Oct 2024) all around Japan.
Driving an EV one must realize that you are now operating a device like your smartphone and need to be aware of the power. Some new drivers get “battery anxiety”, or a fear of the battery going flat. The key is probably just having a wall charger at home, and getting used to finding a super charger when you’re on a trip. After all, if you are heading to the Chiba beach from Tokyo, you can probably do not need to charge anywhere but knowing there are a bunch of super chargers in Kisarazu helps you plan your trip.
What Is It Like Driving A Tesla In Japan?
An absolute pleasure! Here are some things to remember
* There is always a Super Charger nearby! Know where they are for long trips
* Use your navigation to calculate your location
* If you have an issue where the system freezes up (after all it is a big LINUX mobile computer), know how to reset your car by holding the two buttons on the steering wheel
* Have a Tesla wall charger at your primary place of residence or work place makes it super convenient
* Keep your car charged to 80% (not 100%) for day to day driving. More about battery life here.
* Tesla Premium Service for maps is 1000 yen/month and worth it. You can use Apple Maps as well, to save money. However, we like smartphone app and car integration.
* If you’re doing business, you can make and receive phone calls with CIRCLE Cloud Comms app through the excellent microphone and speakers that come default (more at https://circleip.com/). American cars always seem to have amazing sound systems and seats. Tesla does not disappoint.
What Doesn’t Change From ICE To EV?
Once you’re in an EV (remember we’re experienced with Tesla), you no longer have to change your oil or do anything engine related since you are running electric motors now. You still need to rotate your tires (EVs are heavy so maybe slightly more frequently), add washer fluid, and change your wiper blades. Overall though, once you get a Tesla, you will never want to go back to and ICE vehicle.
Some people say that hybrids are better than EVs. This is somewhat understandable when you think of EVs with low ranges or no national network of fast chargers (such as BYD, Hyundai, or even Nissan for that matter). Let’s see how Honda rises to occasion with their new EV. Judging from the license plates, they never seem to be far from home. The same seems to go for Toyota’s Lexus brand… their EVs are never far from home as they don’t have the range, or the fast charging network.
Should you switch to an EV?
If you are a truck driver, then maybe ‘no’ as you need to be always moving. If you don’t have a place to plug in at home or office, maybe ‘no’ as well. However, if there is a will there is a way. There are many in Japan who do not have charging at the home or office and just use the super chargers. That could be inconvenient, but if you’ve bought your car with free super charging, free is good. With the ranges of Tesla vehicles, it may not be so bad. Nothing beats arriving at home backing into the parking spot and plugging in to get a charge for the next day at work.
This is what we’ve learned in four years with Tesla. More on the way!