China BYD - Uses hazardous chemical substance hexavalent chromium in EV buses sold in Japan

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

中国BYD 日本国内で販売のEVバスに有害化学物質六価クロム使用

2023年2月24日 19時21分

中国のEV＝電気自動車大手のBYDは、日本国内で販売しているEVバスについて、化学物質の六価クロムを使用していることを明らかにしました。六価クロムは、人体に有害な化学物質で、業界団体の日本自動車工業会は自主規制として使用を禁止しています。

BYDは、2015年から日本国内でEVバスを販売し、各地のバス会社で運行されています。

会社によりますと、これまでに国内で販売したEVバスで、ボルトやナットなどの部品のさびを防ぐため、六価クロムを含む溶剤を使用しているということです。

六価クロムは人体に有害な化学物質で、業界団体の日本自動車工業会は自主規制として、六価クロムの使用を禁止していますが、BYDは団体に加盟していません。

BYDの日本法人は、ホームページで「日本で販売するにあたり、必要な法規に準拠してきたが、ことし年末に納車を予定している新型EVバスについては日本自動車工業会の自主規制に準拠した素材で製造・販売する」としています。

そのうえで「通常の車両運用においては乗員・乗客や整備メンテナンス担当者への影響はない」と説明しています。

一方、BYDは、先月からは日本国内で乗用車の分野にも参入しています。

これについては製造元の本社と連携し、現在、調査を進めているとしています。

BYDのEVバスをめぐっては、日野自動車がBYDから供給を受ける予定だったバスの発売を取りやめたほか、西武バスが今月27日に予定していた運行開始を見合わせるなど影響が広がっています。

Translation

It had been revealed that BYD, a major Chinese EV = electric vehicle, used the chemical substance hexavalent chromium in making EV buses sold in Japan. Hexavalent chromium was a chemical substance that would be harmful to the human body, and its use was prohibited by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, an industry organization, as a voluntary regulation.

BYD had been selling EV buses in Japan since 2015, and they were operated by bus companies around the country.

According to the company, EV buses sold in Japan so far had been using a solvent containing hexavalent chromium to prevent parts such as bolts and nuts from rusting.

Hexavalent chromium was a chemical substance that could harmful to the human body, and although the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association as an industry group prohibited the use of hexavalent chromium as a voluntary regulation, BYD was not a member of the group.

BYD's subsidiary in Japan said on its website, supposed that "For sales in Japan, we comply with the necessary laws and regulations, about the new EV bus scheduled to be delivered at the end of this year and to be sold they will be made of materials that comply with the self-imposed regulations of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.”

In addition, it explained that “in normal vehicle operation, there is no impact on crews, passengers, and maintenance personnel.”

On the other hand, BYD had also entered the passenger car field in Japan since last month.

Regarding this, investigation in cooperation with the manufacturer's headquarters were being carried out currently.

Regarding BYD's EV bus, Hino Motors had canceled the release of the bus that was scheduled to be supplied by BYD, and Seibu Bus had postponed the start of operation scheduled for the 27th of this month.

So, EV buses sold in Japan so far use a solvent containing hexavalent chromium to prevent parts such as bolts and nuts from rusting, and BYD explains that “in normal vehicle operation, there is no impact on crews, passengers, and maintenance personnel”. It is interesting to note that if hexavalent chromium is so safe to use as suggested by the Chinese, then why the Japanese take the trouble to have a self-imposed regulation on its use?