I-PEX Participates in Establishing the
EV Battery Smart User Promotion Association
to Advance Battery Circularity

I-PEX Inc. (Headquarters: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Representative Director and President: Reiji Konishi, hereinafter referred to as I-PEX) has joined in establishing a new general incorporated association, the EV Battery Smart User Promotion Association (hereinafter referred to as EvBSU). I-PEX participates as a founding and steering member, and Tomoyuki Shirasaka of the Energy Solutions Department, New Business Development Division, will serve as a director.

EvBSU is an organization that promotes the circular use of EV batteries from the user's perspective and aims to form and expand a new market for the circular economy. It seeks to elevate the circular use of EV batteries from the stage of demonstration trials to the stage of social implementation, in which it is incorporated into actual businesses and social infrastructure.

In advancing the circular use of EV batteries, understanding the state of battery degradation and appropriately evaluating residual value remain key challenges. It is also necessary to address the outflow of used EVs and spent batteries overseas, as well as the rising costs of collection and transportation. For challenges that are difficult for a single company to solve, industry, government, and academia are expected to work together to establish rules and a business environment.

EvBSU was established on the foundation of activities that had been carried out as a voluntary organization since 2024. From a neutral standpoint, it supports the development of systems and rules concerning the circular use of EV batteries.

I-PEX joined the establishment of EvBSU in order to be proactively involved in rulemaking from the early stage, as market formation and system design advance, and to help embed the circular use of EV batteries in society.

I-PEX will take part in activities such as the study of standards and standardization, the development of evaluation indicators, and policy proposals. By sharing issues and insights with member companies, government agencies, universities, and others, I-PEX will contribute to the formation of rules that support the circular use of EV batteries.

In addition, through EvBSU's activities to build regional circulation models and support the social implementation of projects, I-PEX intends to advance collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders.
 

EvBSU is a general incorporated association established on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. It is building a framework for collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including companies in the automotive, battery, electric power, IT, logistics, finance, and reuse/recycling sectors, as well as local governments and research institutions.

In addition to the efforts of manufacturers, EvBSU intends to incorporate the perspective of those who use vehicles and batteries. It aims to maximize the utility value of batteries while building a system for their appropriate and sustainable circulation within Japan.

EvBSU is currently accepting applications for new members. For details on joining, please see the council's membership information page.

About I-PEX Inc.

I-PEX stands for “Innovative Product development & Engineering solutions eXpert” providing value in the form of inspiration and astonishment in the global marketplace. The company was founded in 1963 as Dai-ichi Seiko, a precision mold manufacturer, and has since produced numerous world-firsts and unique products and solutions. I-PEX currently operates in five business fields: Connectors, Contract Manufacturing (Automotive Components & Electronics Components), Molds & Equipment, MEMS Foundry, Energy Solutions. By delivering the sharpest tip to the world, we will contribute to exciting value-creation in the digitalized society by working globally with every client who open up the new era.