Skip to main content

MaaS Global and Mitsui to trial Whim in Japan

MaaS Global is trialling its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform Whim in Japan in a tie-up with property developer Mitsui Fudosan. The Finnish company says both parties will collaborate with local transport service providers and conduct a ‘proof of concept’ trial in the Greater Tokyo area, prior to a planned launch later this year. The partnership allows MaaS Global to employ what CEO Sampo Hietanen calls “our Real Estate x MaaS vision: the next evolution phase to combine living and mobility”. Mitsu
May 8, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
8571 MaaS Global is trialling its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform 8727 Whim in Japan in a tie-up with property developer Mitsui Fudosan.


The Finnish company says both parties will collaborate with local transport service providers and conduct a ‘proof of concept’ trial in the Greater Tokyo area, prior to a planned launch later this year.

The partnership allows MaaS Global to employ what CEO Sampo Hietanen calls “our Real Estate x MaaS vision: the next evolution phase to combine living and mobility”.

Mitsui Fudosan wants to incorporate MaaS into its building projects, “enhancing comfortable living for those who live and work in its communities”.

In a statement, the Japanese firm says: “The company will endeavour to enhance collaborative relationships between its wide-ranging business areas for urban development, such as office, retail, residential, hotel and logistics, and MaaS Global’s expertise in the MaaS business.”

Last October, MaaS Global %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external deployed false http://www.itsinternational.com/sections/general/news/comfortdelgro-to-deploy-maas-global-app-in-singapore/ false false%> its Whim app in Singapore, allowing users to have access to Comfortdelgro’s fleet of taxis.

The company plans more launches in cities across Europe, the US and Asia in 2019.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Lyft app gets bike lanes to encourage safer cycling
    September 26, 2019
    Lyft is adding protected bike lanes and bike-friendly routes to its app to encourage more people to use two-wheeled transportation. The Verge reports that the protected bike lanes will appear as dark green lines in the app while bike-friendly routes that are less protected will be represented as dotted green lines. The feature is available for Lyft bikes and scooter-sharing services on iOS devices, with Android to follow soon. Lyft’s head of micromobility policy, Caroline Samponaro, says: “Each ride
  • VW to install EV charging network at UK Tesco stores
    December 4, 2018
    Volkswagen (VW) says it will install more than 2,400 free electric vehicle (EV) chargers at 600 Tesco stores in the UK by 2020. The chargers, provided by public charging network operator Pod Point, will allow customers to use a 7kW charger and pay for a 50kW rapid charge at a cost which the company says is in line with ‘the market rate’. The chargers will be implemented at Tesco Superstores and Extra stores. Jason Tarry, Tesco CEO, says the deployment is part of a wider commitment to address environmen
  • Car2go launches electric car-sharing service in Paris
    October 9, 2018
    Car-share platform Car2go will launch in Paris in January 2019. The Daimler-owned company will start with 400 electric Smart EQ fortwo cars and says it expects to operate several hundred more in the French capital over the course of next year. “Paris offers ideal conditions for our free-floating car-sharing principle. I’m certain that Paris will become a very successful Car2go location,” says Car2go CEO Olivier Repper. Car2go’s service also has fully-electric fleets in three other European cities:
  • Evergrande is new main owner of NEVS
    January 22, 2019
    Chinese property developer Evergrande has acquired 51% of shares of NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) in a bid to help the smart car firm develop green mobility solutions. Evergrande’s business covers technology, real estate, health and cultural tourism. The deal is expected to help NEVS develop a second car manufacturing plant in Shanghai which will be used to develop electric vehicles and transport solutions. Currently, NEVS has a manufacturing plant in Tianjin, China, and Trollhättan, Sweden