Electric mobility in Portugal

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and the Portuguese consortium MOBI.E Tech have partnered for the promotion of electric mobility in Portugal, one of the first countries to adopt a nationwide electric-vehicle policy.

Under a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed yesterday, the two parties will study how to promote electric mobility using MOBI.E model, the charging system being deployed by the consortium.

MOBI.E will include charging stations accessible to all electric-vehicle brands.

The stations will be installed throughout Portugal, in places such as public car parks, shopping centres, hotels, airports and petrol stations. Electric vehicle users will require only an identification card to access the network, regardless of the charging-station location.

The network will have normal charging points that will be able to charge an electric vehicle in six to eight hours using wind energy produced during the night, as well as rapid charging points that will charge an electric vehicle in less than 30min.

The LOI follows an agreement signed between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Portugal in 2008 for the implementation of a nationwide electric mobility programme in the country. The agreement calls for 1,300 vehicle-charging points by 2011 and the supply of electric vehicles by the Renault-Nissan Alliance, starting with the Nissan Leaf in December 2010.