Using Big Data to Speed Up Japan’s Slow Electric Car Transition

Japan’s slow transition to electric cars has been blamed on the usual suspects — high prices, few models, limited charging infrastructure and range anxiety.

To help overcome some of those hurdles, gaming company DeNA Co. — which started a mobility division in 2015 and developed applications for car-sharing, self-driving and taxi dispatch services — has developed an EV simulation tool that can assess the lifespan and cruising range per charge of battery cars over time.

The web-based tool, called FACTEV, uses data from vehicle inspection certificates and periodic servicing information to analyze how a gas car is actually used. By adding ...