As U.S. automakers struggle to survive, French carmaker Renault (RNL.F) and Japan’s Nissan, which have formed a partnership to develop electric vehicles, continue to increase their headstart in collaborating with the electric vehicle (EV) charging networks that will be key to the widespread adoption of zero-emissions vehicles.
Last week at the L.A. Auto Show the Renault-Nissan Alliance announced partnerships to develop (EV) charging networks in Oregon and Sonoma County, California.
The Alliance will make available a supply of EVs to Oregon and
Sonoma County governments, and will work with both governments to
develop plans for the creation of EV battery-charging networks.
The Alliance is also providing vehicles, to California-based company Better Place for the charging networks it is buidling in Israel and Denmark, and is a likely partner for Better Place’s planned networks in San Francisco and Australia.
Separately, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has signed development agreements in Portugal, Japan, Tennessee and with French utility company EDF (EDF.PA).
Renault has a stake of 44.4% in Nissan, while Nissan in turn has a 15% stake in Renault.
Renault is developing three electric cars to be powered by lithium-ion battery packs made in a partnership between Nissan and Japa’s NEC Corp. The vehicle known as the Fluence, based on the company’s mid-sized Megane vehicle, is a four-dour compact sedan that has been announced for use in Israel by Better Place.
Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Renault SA, says the Fluence Renault is building for Israel will come with a lifetime warranty, and payment will follow the model established by the mobile-phone industry. After buying the car, owners will subscribe to a battery-replacement and charging plan based on their anticipated mileage. Recharging will be done at one of 500,000 spots that Project Better Place plans to build and maintain.
Nissan plans introduce EVs in the United States and Japan in 2010 and will make them available to the mass market, globally, two years later. The company is reporteldy also hedging its bets by developing both a hybrid vehicle similar to the Toyota Prius and a plug-in hybrid similar to the Chevy Volt.
The Oregon Department of Transportation plans to promote the deployment, operation and maintenance of the EV charging network by developing specifications for charging stations. Regional utility Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR), which recently unveiled a charging station design, is also part of the initiative.
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