Renault-Nissan Alliance Forms Electric Vehicle Partnership with City of Orlando, Florida

February 3, 2010 – Vol.14 No.46

Renault-Nissan Alliance Forms Electric Vehicle Partnership with City of Orlando, Florida.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced that Nissan is entering into an agreement with the City of Orlando and the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) to advance zero-emission mobility in the Orlando area by promoting the development of an electric-vehicle charging network and policies to support widespread adoptions of electric cars. The announcement, made at the Orlando stop of the Nissan LEAF Zero Emissions Tour, helps pave the way for the 2010 introduction of Nissan LEAF, the industry's first all-electric, zero-emission car designed for the mass market.

As part of the agreement, Nissan and the City of Orlando, along with OUC, will develop plans to promote a charging infrastructure for electric cars that encourages home and workplace charging, as well as a public charging infrastructure. The partners will work to coordinate the establishment of policies and help streamline charging infrastructure deployment. Nissan also has agreed to make available a supply of electric vehicles to the City of Orlando and in and around the metropolitan area and Orange County, Fla. The City of Orlando has a goal to foster electrification as part of its Green Works Orlando Initiative.

OUC has been working towards helping Central Florida become plug-in ready, and recently installed two charging stations in downtown Orlando, one of which is solar powered. OUC has committed to the purchase of up to 10 Nissan LEAF units to be used in its fleet for service calls and educational purposes.

Nissan, along with alliance partner Renault, is the only automaker committed to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale. Nissan LEAF, a five-passenger all-electric car, will be available for private and fleet customers. It is being launched in the U.S., Japan and Europe in late 2010.

Nissan has spearheaded a holistic approach to zero-emission mobility by working with states, municipalities, utility companies and other partners, to prepare markets and infrastructure. Nissan has formed more than a dozen partnerships in the United States, in areas including State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, Sonoma County, San Diego and San Francisco in California, Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., Washington D.C., Seattle, with Progress Energy in Raleigh, N.C., and with Houston-based Reliant Energy. Nissan also is working with AeroVironment for the supply and installation of home charging stations, creating a one-stop shop for the Nissan LEAF and its charging equipment.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has begun zero-emission vehicle initiatives in Kanagawa Prefecture and Yokohama in Japan, as well as in Mexico, Israel, Denmark, Portugal, Monaco, the UK, France, Switzerland, Ireland, China and Hong Kong.

"This partnership is a continuation of the City of Orlando's commitment to cleaner, more sustainable transportation options - building on the recent approval of the commuter rail and high-speed rail funding, plans to expand the downtown bus system, expanded bicycle infrastructure throughout the city and converting the city fleet to more efficient models," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. (2/2/10)

Links:

Nissan LEAF
http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car

--- AeroVironment to Supply Charging Stations for NIssan’s LEAF Electric Car.

--- One North East, the North East England Regional Development Agency, Signs EV Charging Agreement with Nissan.

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No