The Renault-Nissan alliance this week signed a partnership with China’s ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) for a pilot programme that, it said, would be a first step in bringing zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) to the country.
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The Chinese government has launched a pilot programme of new energy vehicles to be rolled out to the public transport sector in 13 cities. Nissan will provide MIIT with electric vehicle (EV) information and prepare a comprehensive plan, including a blueprint for a battery charging network and programmes for mass marketing EVs.
Nissan will also partner with the Wuhan municipal government as the first pilot city for zero emission mobility for further development of planning after the memorandum of understanding signed this week.
“Nissan believes that zero emissions are the ultimate direction for alternative energy vehicles,” said Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer of Nissan. “We are establishing innovative partnerships with governments, cities and agencies to promote EVs worldwide, and in China we will work closely with our local partners to develop the EV market.”
The alliance said it would bring electric vehicles to China in early 2011, making the fast growing auto market one of the first to be supplied. In 2012, Nissan and Renault would mass market electric vehicles globally, it added.
The alliance has already started zero emission initiatives in Israel, Denmark, Portugal, Monaco, the US states of Tennessee and Oregon, Sonoma County in northern California and Kanagawa prefecture and Yokohama city in Japan.
The alliance has also partnered with French utility company EDF and Switzerland’s Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS) to develop EV recharging networks.
