The Renault-Nissan Alliance has formed electric car partnership with City of Houston, aiming to promote development of an electric-vehicle charging network and policies to support widespread adoptions of electric cars.
The announcement, made at the Houston 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.
Nissan already has a similar working agreement with Reliant Energy, of Houston, one of the largest competitive electricity providers in Texas.
As part of the agreement, Nissan and the City of Houston, along with Reliant Energy, 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 cars to the City of Houston and in and around the metropolitan area.
Houston is one of 14 cities that have joined the Clinton Climate Initiative C40 in a commitment to make their cities more electric car-friendly. To that end, the city intends to add 25 electric vehicles this year, bringing to 40 the total number of plug-in cars in the city’s fleet.
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.
Through the 24-city Nissan LEAF Zero-Emission Tour, which stopped in Houston, Nissan has been showcasing the electric vehicle and battery technology as well as the company’s zero-emission mobility objectives.
