Following the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the European Commission and the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, IVECO announces its plans to support the development of
sustainable natural gas transport of people and goods in Japan.
Natural gas represents today the cheapest, cleanest and lowest noise alternative to diesel engines,
offering a direct bridge to renewable fuels thanks to the bio-gas.
IVECO plans to work in collaborations involving the entire supply chain, from transport operators to
natural gas suppliers and distributors with the support of local authorities and governmental
organisations.
The first step in IVECO’s plans is the signature today of a Memorandum of Understanding with
transport and logistics operator Ryobi Holdings for the supply of its technology and vehicles to develop
a sustainable transport network.
Tokyo, 6th September 2017
IVECO announced today the launch of its plan of action to support the development of the natural gas
transport market in Japan. This move reflects the brand’s strong commitment to sustainability and to
the global fight against greenhouse gas emissions.
The first step in IVECO’s plan is the signature today of a Memorandum of Understanding with transport
and logistics operator Ryobi Holdings, which opens discussions on a cooperation for the supply of
IVECO trucks and buses. In addition to providing vehicles, IVECO will supply its chassis, technologies
and engineering support, for Ryobi Holdings to assemble with the bodies it will manufacture. The
cooperation will also include after-sales support and technical assistance, to be provided by Ryobi
Holdings.
This first agreement kicks off IVECO’s overall strategy, which adopts a holistic approach to extend to
the full natural gas supply chain. The brand aims to set up further partnerships with natural gas
suppliers and transporters so that, as the natural gas transport vehicle market develops, the necessary
infrastructure is in place to support it.
Today’s announcement comes on the back of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the
European Commission and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan in July, which
recognises the increase in LNG demand and considers forms of cooperation that include the
development of advanced technologies for the use of LNG powertrains in road and maritime transport.
IVECO anticipated several recommendations made by the 2016 G20 action plan to enhance energy
access in Asia and the Pacific. Also the European Commission communication “European Strategy for
Low-Emission Mobility” recognize the significant role that natural gas can play in the transition towards
a low greenhouse gas emission energy future – with the latter going further and identifying this fuel as
the most sustainable and immediately available solution.
IVECO, with its long-standing commitment to sustainability, understood early on that natural gas is the
mature, reasonable and affordable solution – both Tank to Wheel and, with biogas, Well to Wheel. It
has pioneered natural gas vehicles for over 20 years, first introducing this technology in its buses, then
extending it to urban transport applications with the Daily NP light commercial vehicle and the
Eurocargo NP truck – and finally, in 2016 to heavy-duty long-distance haulage with the revolutionary
Stralis NP.
As a result, today IVECO’s natural gas technology is a true, practical and immediate solution for people
and goods transport. With 22,000 units sold, today IVECO is the absolute market and technology
leader in natural gas commercial vehicles and it is the only manufacturer to offer a full line powered by
this sustainable fuel – from light commercial vehicles to heavy-duty long-haul trucks and buses.
IVECO’s natural gas commercial vehicles include the Daily NP that adds the advantages of the brand’s
NP technology to all the benefits of the multi-award winning Daily family; the Eurocargo NP that takes
the environmental performance of the Truck the City Likes to a new level with its clean and quiet
operation; and the Stralis NP, which is the first truck to offer a true alternative to traditional fuel in longhaul
missions.
IVECO’s trail blazing developments in alternative traction buses have led to today’s industry-leading
offering. The Urbanway CNG low-floor city bus sets high standards in comfort, capacity and Total Cost
of Ownership to provide a truly sustainable solution for public transport networks. The Crealis CNG
has gained recognition for offering best-in-class transportation for municipalities and perfect for Bus
Rapid Transit systems. Big cities across Europe are turning to NG buses for their public transport
networks. Cities like Lille, in France, that runs a fleet of 482 IVECO natural gas buses. One third of
them runs on bio-gas, which the city produces directly in a plant that generates bio-methane from
municipal and green waste, ensuring truly carbon neutral operation of its IVECO natural gas bus fleet.
This long history of pioneering natural gas technologies and extensive natural gas offering places
IVECO in an excellent position to be a key player in Japan’s natural gas transport market as the ideal
partner for the country’s transport operators: IVECO – Your Partner for Sustainable Transport.
