Renault-Nissan And Elektromotive Join Forces

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and UK company Elektromotive, a pioneer in zero emission transport infrastructure, have announced they are collaborating in the Partnership for Zero-Emission-Mobility, with the aim of accelerating the installation of charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs) in cities.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the two companies ahead of an imminent and dramatic rise in the number of EVs on Europe’s roads, with the Renault-Nissan Alliance starting sales of purpose-designed EVs in Japan and the US from next year and globally by 2012.

The two parties will study ways to promote the use of electric vehicles and will share information on EV development and energy supply on a global scale. Elektromotive, which is based in Brighton, started developing charging station technology in 2003 and installed its first Elektrobay charging post in Westminster in the centre of London in 2006. To date, it has installed more than 40 charging bays in London and a further 40 in other major UK cities.

Elektrobay is described as a safe and easy-to-use way of providing recharging facilities for pure electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars. The charging stations are conveniently located at the roadside and in multi-storey car parks. It is programmed to allow full data transfer between the power supplier and the consumer.

“Our two companies complement each other perfectly: owners of Alliance-built EVs will need access to a comprehensive charging system wherever they live and work and Elektromotive is in a unique position to supply user-friendly charging stations for our EV customers,” says Andrew Palmer, senior vice president of Nissan Motor Co. “Together we can work towards a zero emission future.”

Calvey Taylor-Haw, managing director of Elektromotive Ltd, says: “We believe passionately that the emission-free electric vehicle represents the best way forward for future mobility. And with Nissan and Renault bringing serious, practical and desirable EVs to market soon, public awareness and usage of the EV can only increase.”

The Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be the global leader in zero-emission mobility and has already started zero emission initiatives in Israel, Denmark, Portugal, the Principality of Monaco, as well as the US States of Tennessee and Oregon and Sonoma County in northern California and in Japan with the Prefecture of Kanagawa and the City of Yokohama.

The Alliance has also partnered with the French utility company EDF and the Swiss electric utility company Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS).