Renault-Nissan to launch high-performance electric vehicles in France by 2011

The Renault-Nissan alliance recently took another step forward towards the electric car future, when it signed an MoU with EDF, an electric utility company based in France. The aim is to create a large scale, zero-emissions, individual transport and travel system. While this will first be set up in France – by 2011 – the system will later be extended to other European countries, Japan and hopefully Asia, including India.

Renault-Nissan, together with EDF, will develop an ‘electric mobility operator,’ which will supply customers with the infrastructure to recharge their electric vehicles. The goal is to have this infrastructure in place when the first Renault-Nissan EV is launched in 2011.

‘In 2011, we will be able to provide our customers in France with high-performance and affordable electric vehicles,’ says Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of both Renault and Nissan. With half a dozen companies working on EVs for the Indian market, we’re sure the day can’t be too far off when Renault-Nissan will also look at spreading their EV infrastructure in this country.

In another interesting development, EDF has also agreed to partner PSA Peugeot Citroën, to support the development of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The cooperative agreement covers several technological programs, including the definition of business models capable of driving the commercial development of electric vehicles, new energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, and vehicle recharging systems and protocols to enable vehicles and the network to communicate during recharging, as well as the standardization of these systems and protocols.

According to a company press release, 'The development of plug-in and other hybrids is an integral part of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s strategic commitment to offering everyone an eco-car. For example, the Group is going to extensively deploy the stop-start micro hybrid system across all of the Peugeot and Citroën model line-ups, while in 2011, both brands will offer full diesel hybrids that will deliver radical improvements in both fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. These developments will enable PSA Peugeot Citroën to consolidate its environmental leadership.'

Christian Streiff, Chairman of the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group, said, 'PSA Peugeot Citroën’s environmental leadership reflects a long-standing commitment, which is expressed in an exceptionally diverse model line-up and powerful innovations. With this new collaborative venture, the Versatile Electric Vehicle will further broaden our offering.'

'This new collaboration,' added Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EDF, 'marks an important new step in the development of electricity as a competitive, clean source of energy, especially for transportation, that respects both the challenges facing our planet and everyone’s individual mobility needs.'