Contributing to Carbon Neutrality in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Launch of Shared Charging Infrastructure for Corporate EVs

Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Company, Limited (SMAS) [Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President: Koji Aso], MEDICEO Corporation [Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Kuniaki Imagawa; hereinafter 'MEDICEO'], a consolidated subsidiary of MEDIPAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION [Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Shuichi Watanabe; hereinafter 'Medipal'], and The Kansai Electric Power Company, Incorporated [Headquarters: Kita-ku, Osaka; President and Director: Nozomu Mori; hereinafter 'Kansai Electric Power'] have built a 'charger sharing' model to allow for the joint use of charging infrastructure for corporate EVs used by pharmaceutical industry medical representatives (MRs), with the aim of contributing to the realization of carbon neutrality in the pharmaceutical industry. We are pleased to announce the details as follows.

1. Background and Purpose

In the pharmaceutical industry, reducing greenhouse gas emissions directly from pharmaceutical manufacturing and company-managed vehicles is an urgent issue. In a survey conducted by SMAS among its pharmaceutical industry clients, it was found that while the transition to EVs for corporate vehicles is progressing, the longer charging times compared to refueling with gasoline, and the difficulty in securing charging locations for MRs who frequently travel directly to and from destinations, have become bottlenecks to adoption. Under these circumstances, as part of efforts to develop charging infrastructure for realizing carbon neutrality in the pharmaceutical industry, we are building a 'charger sharing' model by installing EV chargers at MEDICEO ALCs*, which are among the destinations visited by MRs, and making them available to multiple pharmaceutical companies. Through this, we will contribute to the promotion of EV adoption across the entire industry. *ALC (Area Logistics Center): A high-functioning logistics center that handles ethical drugs, medical materials, etc.

2. Features of this Initiative and Roles of Each Company

In this initiative, two units (6kW standard chargers) of the 'Kanmobi Charge' EV charging service provided by Kansai Electric Power will be introduced at MEDICEO's Saitama ALC (Misato City, Saitama Prefecture), Nagoya ALC (Kiyosu City, Aichi Prefecture), and Minami-Osaka ALC (Yao City, Osaka Prefecture). We aim to provide end-to-end support for the pharmaceutical industry, from 'developing charging infrastructure' where interested pharmaceutical companies (prior application required) can jointly use these as daytime route charging spots, to 'promoting the adoption of corporate EVs.' As a leading company in the auto leasing industry with a strong track record in EV adoption for the pharmaceutical industry, SMAS provides one-stop EV support ranging from vehicle selection and maintenance leasing to charging equipment installation and the provision of charging cards. We will propose the use of this scheme to pharmaceutical manufacturers to help improve operational efficiency and boost the adoption of corporate EVs. Medipal Group's main business is wholesale in the field of 'medical, health, and beauty.' As a company responsible for distribution, we view the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as an urgent issue and are promoting decarbonization efforts. As part of these efforts, we are promoting the adoption of corporate EVs and expanding charging infrastructure. By opening our on-site chargers to multiple pharmaceutical companies during the day, we will contribute to the development of social infrastructure for EV promotion. Kansai Electric Power supports carbon neutrality in the pharmaceutical industry by proposing and providing various decarbonization solutions. 'Kanmobi Charge' is a corporate EV charging service that can be introduced with zero initial costs. We provide a dedicated app and system for tasks such as charging reservations and billing. For more information on 'Kanmobi Charge': https://sol.kepco.jp/evcharging_servicer/

3. Future Outlook

Taking this initiative as an opportunity, the three companies will work to further accelerate efforts toward carbon neutrality in the pharmaceutical industry by expanding charging infrastructure, advancing EV adoption support, and jointly considering decarbonization measures with a view to the entire supply chain. SMAS (Sumitomo Mitsui Auto Service Company, Limited) Location: 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Representative: Koji Aso, President Business Content: Automobile leasing business, automobile comprehensive management service business, etc. Website: https://www.smauto.co.jp/ MEDIPAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION Location: 3-1-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Representative: Shuichi Watanabe, President Business Content: As a holding company, it manages and supports the business activities of affiliated companies engaged in the 'wholesale of ethical drugs, etc.,' 'wholesale of cosmetics, daily necessities, and general medicines,' and 'wholesale of veterinary medicines and food processing raw materials,' as well as business development within the Medipal Group. Website: https://www.medipal.co.jp/ The Kansai Electric Power Company, Incorporated Location: 3-6-16 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture Representative: Nozomu Mori, President and Director Business Content: Electricity business, heat supply business, telecommunications business, gas supply business, etc. Website: https://www.kepco.co.jp/