Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, we are principally engaged in the business of importing and selling high-performance fully electric light commercial vehicles.
HWE’s slogan is “an irreplaceable element for people and society.” It demonstrates our ambition to become an indispensable company for the public and society in terms of environmental protection and social welfare. Our products are not just a means of transportation, but also designed as a life-saving tool during disasters.
We are the first company in Japan to obtain a license plate number for imported electric light commercial vehicles and the second company (one of only three companies as of the launch of this website) to sell electric light commercial vehicles in Japan. The “light commercial vehicles” category refers to commercial carrier vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3,500 kilograms.
To target commercial markets, we began selling our first imported vehicle, the model ELEMO, in April 2022. In July 2022, we started selling a new model, ELEMO-K. We are continuing to import and sell high-performance electric light commercial vehicles, and in June 2023, we commenced sales of a new model called “ELEMO-L,” which is van-type model. While we have primarily targeted corporate customers, we believe that the ELEMO-L can also be used as a recreational camping vehicle, which we expect may enable us to increase consumer market penetration.
Following up on the ELEMO-L, we plan to introduce another new model of electric vehicle called “PUZZLE” in the first half of 2025, which is now in the design phase. The work undertaken to date reflects our management’s experience and knowledge of the Japanese automotive industry, as well as feedback from existing and potential customers.
We sell our products to commercial markets through direct sales as well as through a network of affiliated car dealers. In addition, we have completed the initial development of the HW ELECTRO Platform Service and launched it for all of our customers in September 2023. The HW ELECTRO Platform Service is an optional support system that assists corporate customers who have purchased our electric light commercial vehicles in managing the electric light commercial vehicles and their drivers. The HW ELECTRO Platform Service helps customers manage travel routes, estimated driving time, and other critical information. In the next phase of development, we plan to provide a service that will enable temperature control of the cargo box.
Weicheng Hsiao
Representative Director and Chief Executive Officer
The founder of HW Electro, Mr. Hsiao, has served as our representative director and chief executive officer since May 2019. In addition to running HW Electro, Mr. Hsiao also spends limited time participating in the operations of Goodride Japan, Inc., a Japanese wholesale tire company he founded in Japan in September 2017. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Hsiao founded a racing team to compete in the D1 Grand Prix series and modified and adapted the racing cars within the regulations.
Hiroto Nagura
Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Nagura has served as HW Electro’s chief financial officer since June 2023. Prior to joining our Company, Mr. Nagura worked as a senior manager at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd. (NYSE: TAK), a Japanese pharmaceutical company (2013 – 2018), as a senior manager at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS: NSANY), a Japanese automobile manufacturer (2018 – 2020), and as a financial controlling director at DHL Japan, Inc., a Japanese subsidiary wholly owned by Deutsche Post DHL (2021 – 2023). Mr. Nagura received his bachelor’s degree in international relations from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies in 2000 and his master’s degree in accounting & corporate finance from Chuo Graduate School of International Accounting in 2015.
Takashi Watanabe
Corporate Executive Officer and Chief Marketing Officer
Mr. Watanabe has served as HW Electro’s corporate executive officer and chief marketing officer since August 2021. Previously, he worked for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., for more than 30 years, including serving various key management positions overseas, such as the head of INFINITI China, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.’s subsidiary in China, and the general manager of the sales and marketing department for overseas markets for more than ten years. He served as the key account executive at Continental Automotive Japan Co., Ltd., a mega automotive parts supplier, from 2013 to 2020, and served as the deputy chief executive officer at GLM Co., Ltd., the first Japanese electric vehicle company that specializes in development and sales of electric vehicles, between March 2020 and April 2021. Mr. Watanabe received his bachelor’s degree in law from Chuo University in 1983.
Taisuke Otsubo
Corporate Auditor
Mr. Otsubo has served as HW Electro’s corporate auditor since December 2021. Mr. Otsubo has also served as the representative director at Regents, a Japanese judicial scrivener office, since January 2023. Previously, Mr. Otsubo served as the representative director at Otsubo Judicial Scrivener Office from 2009 to January 2023.
| Name | Role |
| Weicheng Hsiao | Representative Director |
| Eiji Fujino | Director |
| Hirotaka Ikeda | Independent Director |
| Takayuki Tokoroda | Independent Director |
| Yuri Konno | Independent Director |
| Koki Kawana | Independent Director |
| Feng Wu | Independent Director |
Weicheng Hsiao
Representative Director and Chief Executive Officer
The founder of HW Electro, Mr. Hsiao, has served as our representative director and chief executive officer since May 2019. In addition to running HW Electro, Mr. Hsiao also spends limited time participating in the operations of Goodride Japan, Inc., a Japanese wholesale tire company he founded in Japan in September 2017. Prior to founding our Company, Mr. Hsiao founded a racing team to compete in the D1 Grand Prix series and modified and adapted the racing cars within the regulations.
Eiji Fujino
Director
Mr. Fujino has served as a director of HW Electro since May 2021. Mr. Fujino has also served as the representative director at Meiwa Co. Ltd., a Japanese solar power generation company, since February 2014, as the representative director at Delta Co. Ltd., a Japanese web development company, since February 2014, and as a director at WAB Co. Ltd., a Japanese grand handling company, since April 2018.
Hirotaka Ikeda
Independent Director
Mr. Ikeda has served as HW Electro's independent director and a member of the Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee since May 2023. Mr. Ikeda has also served as the representative director at Myts Co., Ltd., a Japanese consulting firm, since November 2010, as a corporate auditor at LK Japan Co., Ltd., a Japanese engineering services company, since June 2020, and as the representative director at Sakae Digital LLC, a Japanese trading company, since November 2022. Mr. Ikeda received his bachelor’s degree in management science, master’s degree in commerce, and master’s degree in economics from Osaka Gakuin University in 2001, 2003, and 2005, respectively.
Takayuki Tokoroda
Independent Director
Mr. Tokoroda has served as HW Electro's independent director and a member of the Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee since May 2023. Mr. Tokoroda served as our director from December 2021 to April 2023. Mr. Tokoroda has also served as the chief executive officer at B.H Co., Ltd., a Japanese wholesaler, since August 2007.
Yuri Konno
Independent Director
Ms. Konno has served as HW Electro's independent director and a member of the Audit Committee since May 2023. Ms. Konno also runs Dial Service Co., Ltd., a large counseling and consulting company she founded in Japan in 1969. Prior to joining our company, Ms. Konno also served as the first female outside director at Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, a mega Japanese life insurance company, from 1990 to 1995. Ms. Konno received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Tsuda University in 1958.
Koki Kawana
Independent Director
Mr. Kawana has served as HW Electro's independent director and a member of the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee since May 2023. Mr. Kawana has also served as the chief executive officer at Job-up Co., Ltd., a Japanese employment agency, since June 2019. Mr. Kawana previously served as the executive vice-president at P-up Co., Ltd., a Japanese telecom device seller, from 2013 to 2019.
Feng Wu
Independent Director
Mr. Wu has served as HW Electro's independent director, Audit Committee member and Compensation Committee member since May 2023. Since October 2002, Mr. Wu has also served as the president at Kyouwatusyou Co., Ltd., a Japanese company that specializes in original equipment manufacturing (OEM) sales for Japanese manufacturers. Mr. Wu received his bachelor’s degree in commerce from Takushoku University in 1997.
| Director | Audit Committee | Compensation Committee | Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee |
| Koki Kawana | (1)(2)(3) | (1)(2) | |
| Yuri Konno | (1)(3) | ||
| Feng Wu | (1) | (1) | |
| Hirotaka Ikeda | (1)(2) | ||
| Takayuki Tokoroda | (1) |
(1) Committee member
(2) Committee chairperson
(3) Audit committee financial expert