Accelerating the Adoption of Commercial EVs Through Enhanced Domestic Production and After-Sales Collaboration
folofly Inc. (CEO: Hiroyasu Koma; Headquarters: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture), an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a capital and business alliance with ASF Inc. (President and CEO: Hiroyasu Iizuka; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), a company engaged in the manufacturing and sales of EV microvans. This marks the first such partnership between EV startups in Japan.
With the U.S. Trump administration’s high-tariff policies gaining attention, Japan is simultaneously seeing the promotion of domestic demand through EV subsidies and other supportive measures. In response to this environment, folofly and ASF have agreed to this alliance to mutually leverage their respective technologies and expertise, with the aim of establishing a competitive and sustainable EV ecosystem within Japan.
Under this alliance, folofly will invest in ASF and its CEO, Hiroyasu Koma, will participate in ASF’s management to promote a seamless and collaborative operational framework between the two companies. From an operational perspective, folofly will provide engineering support for EV development and production to ASF.
Moreover, both companies will share and integrate their vehicle maintenance networks and after-sales service platforms to further enhance customer satisfaction and strengthen EV maintenance infrastructure across Japan. folofly will also add ASF’s mini van models to its vehicle lineup and launch joint development initiatives. Looking ahead, the two companies will explore flexible cooperation on derivative products, contributing to decarbonization efforts in the logistics industry.
Comment from Hiroyasu Iizuka, President and CEO of ASF Inc.
We are excited to enter into this capital and business alliance with Folofly Inc.
Through OEM supply of EV mini vans and related products, we anticipate rapid market expansion.
In terms of vehicle servicing and support, this collaboration will allow us to mutually leverage our strengths to increase customer satisfaction.
Our goal is to enhance the value of both companies in the short and long term by sharing a common vision and reinforcing our partnership.
Comment from Hiroyasu Koma, CEO of folofly Inc.
We are proud to have formed this alliance with ASF, a fellow startup dedicated to shaping the future of Japan’s automotive industry.
By maximizing our respective strengths, we aim to realize clean EV delivery systems that produce no exhaust or noise, helping to build a sustainable society that is kind to both people and the environment.
Through the development of EVs that address diverse needs in the logistics sector, we will continue to hone our expertise and contribute to the growth of high-quality clean infrastructure tech in Japan.
■Company Overview:
Name：ASF Inc.
Established: June 2020
CEO: Hiroyasu Iizuka
Capital: ¥250,000,000
Headquarters: 11F, IM Uchikanda Building, 3-22-3 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Business: Planning, development, manufacturing, and sales of electric vehicles; battery leasing business; and all related operations
Contact: https://www.asf-ev.com/contact/
Name: Folofly Inc.
Established: August 3, 2021
CEO: Hiroyasu Koma
Capital:¥1,609,757,000 (including capital reserves and capital surplus)
Headquarters: 93 KRP Building 4, Chudoji Awata-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
Business: EV development and sales, environmentally friendly infrastructure services
Contact: 078-891-7117 (General Inquiry)