Portugal and Renault-Nissan Alliance Partner Directly on EVs; Consumer Sales Begin in 2011

9 July 2008

The Government of Portugal and the Renault Nissan Alliance have formed a partnership to bring together the public and private sectors to create the necessary conditions to make zero-emission vehicles a viable and attractive solution for consumers. Portugal is the first partner to join the Alliance in a direct program of this type.

Under the framework agreement signed today, the government of Portugal will focus on three core areas:

1. To jointly study with the Alliance how to create the right conditions to make electric vehicles an attractive offer for Portuguese consumers;

2. To study the infrastructure and related organizations required to create a nationwide network of charging stations for electric vehicles; and

3. To identify the most effective communication and education channels to raise awareness of electric vehicles.

The Alliance has agreed to mass market its electric vehicles to consumers in Portugal, starting in 2011. Portugal will be one of the lead global markets for the introduction of unique models of all-electric vehicles from the Alliance.

The partnership was launched today in Lisbon, in the presence of José Sócrates, the Prime Minister of Portugal, and Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault and President and CEO of Nissan.

In January, the Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Project Better Place to catalyze the mass-market deployment of electric vehicles in Israel. (Earlier post.)