The agreement, signed on 2 December 2024, encompasses four key areas of cooperation: research and development, staff exchange, training and education, and broader technological innovation.
Both parties aim to develop solutions addressing energy conservation, global warming, and sustainability through joint research and technical knowledge sharing. MFTBC has set an ambitious target of offering a full range of carbon-neutral vehicles in Japan by 2039, building on its earlier launch of the electric eCanter truck in 2017.
The collaboration will involve:
- Sharing information on Fuel Cell vehicle adoption
- Conducting joint research
- Facilitating personnel exchanges
- Providing internship opportunities for university students
- Offering cross-organisational training and lectures
The University of Yamanashi’s Clean Energy Research Centre and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Centre will play a crucial role in developing high-performance, reliable, and affordable hydrogen fuel technologies.
Kazuo Matsunaga, MFTBC chairman, stated: “Through having access to the University of Yamanashi’s stores of advanced knowledge on hydrogen and fuel cells, we aim to boost our company’s technological development. At the same time, we at MFTBC will generously share our expertise with the students at the University of Yamanashi with the hope that they make good use of it in their studies. We hope that this agreement with the university will deepen and broaden our partnership, and that it will contribute to building talent and innovation, and, ultimately, to the realization of a carbon-neutral Japan.”
Kazuhiko Nakamura, president of the University of Yamanashi, added: “Within this partnership lies the possibility of improving the level of technological research here at the university and at MFTBC, a company working towards the realization of a carbon-neutral society. Together we will be able to create solutions to pressing issues through talent development and by applying research findings for society’s benefit. We are confident that we can make a significant contribution to building sustainable communities not just throughout Japan, but across the world.”
The partnership underscores a mutual commitment to driving technological innovation and addressing climate challenges through collaborative research and education.Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) and the University of Yamanashi have signed a comprehensive collaboration agreement focused on advancing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, the organisations announced on Monday.
