Frequent Malfunctions Raise Questions About the Future of Osaka’s Expo EV Buses
“A startup that delivered 150 EV buses to the Expo is facing a never-ending string of malfunctions. The situation has escalated to the point of issuing a recall, and a large number of the problematic buses have even been gathered in a location described as a graveyard. Automotive lifestyle journalist Kumiko Kato investigates the reality behind this crisis.”
The current state of the 150 EV buses used at the Expo
“I learned on social media that a large number of Expo buses were parked near the Hanshin Expressway Izumiotsu PA. I immediately went to the site, and there, in a vast space, those familiar Expo buses were crammed in tightly. I was so absorbed that I took photos nonstop.”
The man speaking is the operator of the Osaka Metro fan site Osaka-Subway.com. Suddenly appearing in a huge space in Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture, were Expo-colored EV buses. By mid-December, nearly 50 buses had been parked there, but these are the ‘WISDOM Large (10.5m long)’ buses imported from China and sold by EV Motors Japan (hereafter, EVMJ), which have become problematic due to frequent malfunctions. At the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which ended in October, they were mainly used as the Sakurajima shuttle buses and Maishima park-and-ride buses.
Regarding the troubles with EVMJ buses, on October 13, an article titled [Exclusive] Evidence Video Obtained The Reality of Uncontrollable Maneuvering Troubles Repeatedly Occurring in Chinese-made Buses Purchased in Large Numbers for the Osaka Expo was contributed, investigating the issue. For the full details of the troubles, please refer to that article.
So why are these problem-plagued EV buses being gathered in such large numbers? First, it should be noted that the location where they were collected is right next to the Hankyu Ferry terminal (Izumiotsu–Shin-Moji). One might think they are being temporarily stored there to be sent to EVMJ’s headquarters in Kitakyushu, but that is not actually the case. If transportation were the only purpose, it would be more rational to use the Meimon Taiyo Ferry, which operates from Osaka Minato, near EVMJ’s Nanko service station.
There is, however, a new problem EVMJ is facing. An EVMJ insider revealed:
“In fact, Meimon Taiyo Ferry has been avoiding doing business with us. Naturally, Osaka Minato is much closer and more convenient than Izumiotsu. In the past, we used Meimon Taiyo. However, in March of this year, when EVMJ buses were transported from our Kitakyushu headquarters to the Shin-Moji ferry terminal, a malfunction occurred, delaying the ferry’s departure by two hours. I heard that the on-site staff made a unilateral decision to have the ferry wait. There were also several last-minute cancellations when using the ferry, so ultimately, we were unable to use it.”
EVMJ’s large EV buses have reportedly been delivered in over 160 units nationwide. A recall was submitted on November 28, but the suspicions and issues are far from fully resolved.In other words, while negotiating with another ferry company, the defective EV buses were gathered near the Senkūzu Port, the terminal for Hankyu Ferry, creating what looked like a graveyard of buses.
According to sources, the storage fee for this parking lot is estimated at about 2 million yen per month. It’s said that EVMJ contracted for two months—from November to December—bringing the total to roughly 4 million yen. Regarding this fee, an EVMJ executive reportedly made a surprising remark. The source continued:
“The reason for moving the buses to headquarters is to retrieve the defective EV buses. Yet, some of the upper management argue, ‘Osaka Metro, which manages the buses, had no place to keep them, so we looked for a spot. As for the rent, we’ll temporarily cover it, but the 4 million yen parking fee should be charged to Osaka Metro.’ The bus defects are our responsibility. If there were no defects, we wouldn’t even need to send them back to Kitakyushu. What are they even thinking?”
Finally, a recall was also submitted
Regarding the EVMJ buses, including the large batch of Expo EV buses that had been amassed, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) issued an inspection order in September for all 317 units previously delivered. According to an announcement by MLIT on October 17, defects were found in 113 of the 317 buses, revealing the shocking reality that one in three buses has a problem. Another EVMJ insider whispered:
“There was a period when a lot of brake hoses were being damaged. In my experience, this was the kind of defect that should have been addressed from the vehicle design stage, but all they ended up doing was replacing them with stronger brake hoses. It seems the company didn’t want to spend money on proper repairs. As long as it looked fixed, that was enough—they only took stopgap measures.”
On November 28, EVMJ submitted a recall regarding the brake system (brake hoses) in response to MLIT’s directives. Going forward, if operators report problems with the brake system, EVMJ will respond free of charge. However, the replacement brake hoses sent from the manufacturer, China’s WISDOM, remain highly questionable in terms of quality, leaving doubts about whether the recall work can truly be carried out correctly.
Right after the Expo ended, a large number of EV buses were lined up in the Osaka City Bus Minato Depot parking lot. In September, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) issued a total inspection order.Concerns revealed by multiple sources
How will EVMJ respond to this pile of problems? Our site sent a set of questions to the company regarding:
The reality behind the suspension of dealings with Meimon Taiyo Ferry,
Whether storage fees were charged to Osaka Metro, and
The status of defects in the replaced brake hoses.
Regarding the first point, the suspension of dealings with Meimon Taiyo Ferry, EVMJ responded as follows:
“Regarding Meimon Taiyo Ferry, as stated in their December 28, 2023, information, the company has temporarily stopped accepting all EV vehicles, not only ours. Therefore, we are currently using other ferry companies to transport vehicles. At present, we have not been notified of any suspension concerning departure or arrival ports for vehicle transport.”
Indeed, Meimon Taiyo Ferry stopped unmanned transport of EV vehicles from January 1, 2024, but manned transport remains unaffected. The EVMJ EV bus delivered to Osaka Metro, the “Aichuwa E1,” caused a ferry delay in March 2025 during a manned transport. Internal company emails from March 7 indicate awareness of statements such as:
“Meimon Taiyo Ferry claims they do not want to carry us due to repeated delays and cancellations. Apologies and requests to the ferry company are necessary.”
Regarding the second point, whether storage fees were charged to Osaka Metro, EVMJ said:
“This is not an official statement from us, and we deny it. Regarding costs, due to negotiations and transaction conditions with the customer, we refrain from commenting.”
However, the reporter obtained an invoice issued by EVMJ to Osaka Metro in December. It listed:
“Izumi-Otsu parking lot fee (2 months) 600 tsubo (Nov 1–Dec 31)”
and the amount roughly matches what was reported.
Finally, regarding the status of defects in the replaced brake hoses, EVMJ stated:
“Regarding the recall, we are proceeding with replacement work while consulting with each operator. At present, there have been no reports of defects during implementation.”
Yet multiple EVMJ sources interviewed disclosed:
“Nearly 20% of the brake hoses sent from WISDOM have defects and cannot be safely used as replacement parts for the recall.”
Osaka Metro, the owner of the EV buses, plans to relocate the stored large buses to another site by the end of December. It seems they will not send the buses back to EVMJ for reinspection, and a decision has been made to completely halt their use. Given EVMJ’s precarious position, it is hard to imagine any company purchasing their buses in the future.
Though the location may change, the day a graveyard of EV buses is created might arrive sooner than expected.
PHOTO： Courtesy of osaka-subway.com