Renault-Nissan Alliance Participates in Hakone EV Town Project

Nissan Motor Co. will participate in the Hakone EV Town Project with Hakone Town and Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan.

Led by Kanagawa Prefecture, which is actively promoting the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, the project will be launched to realize “Environmentally-advanced Tourist Site: Hakone” which achieves both protection of natural environment and promotion of tourism, and to expand the EV use in Hakone area.

Nissan will start the project by working together with travel agencies to encourage tourists who travel by public transport or private cars to Odawara and Hakone area to use rental EV for touring Hakone area.

In February, Nissan signed partnership with All Japan Ryokan Association to promote development of EV charging infrastructure. With the Association, Nissan will also discuss specific efforts for Hakone area.

Nissan formed partnership with Kanagawa Prefecture to conduct a study for various EV projects in May, 2008. Based on this agreement, both parties have been considering implementation of a wide range of projects and events, one of which is an EV taxi project announced in January, 2009.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be a global leader in zero-emission mobility. To-date the Alliance has signed zero-emission partnerships with more than 50 governments, municipalities and companies worldwide. Nissan will introduce the LEAF electric car in Japan, the United States and Europe in late FY2010 followed by global mass marketing in 2012.