Renault and EDF to Partner on Electric Vehicles and Recharging Infrastructure in France

9 October 2008

Renault and French electric utility EDF signed a memorandum of understanding to create, starting with France, a large-scale zero-emissions personal transport and travel system. The objective is to establish electric cars as a viable and attractive transport solution for consumers and to develop a supporting recharging infrastructure.

Through the agreement, the Renault Nissan Alliance and EDF aim to provide consumers access to electric vehicles beginning in 2011. The Renault Nissan Alliance and EDF will jointly develop a commercial project, open to other interested parties, leading to the set up of an Electric Mobility Operator in the longer term. The role of the Electric Mobility Operator will be to supply customers with the infrastructure to recharge an electric vehicle and to manage its range.

Between now and January 2010, the partners will study engineering requirements, national and European regulations and all necessary technical and financial procedures, including the identification of new partners, to ensure that the infrastructure is ready for a vehicle launch in 2011.

To reconcile the demand for individual mobility with the preservation of the environment and high cost of oil, the Renault Nissan Alliance is committed to the development of “zero-emission” vehicles. Thanks to our partnership with EDF, in 2011 we will be able to provide our customers in France with high-performance and affordable electric vehicles.

—Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault and President and CEO of Nissan

In May, Ghosn committed the Renault-Nissan Alliance to be a global leader in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). Nissan, through its GT 2012 five-year business plan, will introduce ZEVs in the United States in 2010 and two years later will mass market ZEVs globally.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has begun ZEV initiatives in Israel, Denmark and Portugal, the state of Tennessee (USA), and Kanagawa Prefecture (Japan), all of which have announced similar partnerships with the Renault Nissan Alliance. (Earlier post.)

EDF is Europe’s biggest electricity producer. In France, the Group uses mainly nuclear and hydroelectric generation resources, for an electricity supply that is 95% CO₂-free. EDF is also working with Toyota on the testing of plug-in hybrids in France and the UK. (Earlier post.)