Electric vehicle study

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and EDF are carrying out an experimental electric vehicle project in Yvelines, France, with €6.5m (£5.7m) of financial support from the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.

Approximately 100 Renault and Nissan electric vehicles - saloons and light commercial vehicles - will be tested out by individual customers and professionals who will be provided with charging infrastructure at home and the workplace, as well as in car parks and on public roads.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance will supply the electric vehicles, conduct the experiment and study customer uses and associated services, particularly those linked to in-vehicle and external communications.

EDF will help set up the infrastructure and analyse user behaviour towards charging and testing business models.

Project partner Schneider Electric will help build the charging infrastructure and the related energy-management mechanisms. Better Place, an electric vehicle services provider, will install and manage the battery switch stations.

In separate news, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has signed an agreement with Madrid City Council to promote electric vehicles in the Spanish capital.