The Renault-Nissan Alliance and EDF will conduct an experimental electric car project in Yvelines (France) with €6.5 million (US$8.8 million) financial support from the French Environmental and Energy Management Agency.
Other partners in the electric car project include Schneider Electric and Better Place.
Approximately one hundred Renault and Nissan electric cars will be tested out by individual customers and professionals on the territory under the Opération d’Intérêt National Seine Aval, in Yvelines. Users 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 cars, conduct the experiment and study customer uses and associated services, particularly those linked to in-car and external communications.
EDF will help set up the infrastructure and analyze user behaviour towards charging and testing business 2 models. Schneider Electric will help build the charging infrastructure and the related energy management mechanisms. Better Place will install and manage the battery switch stations and test the associated commercial offerings.
Renault and EDF have been working together in France on electric car projects since October 2008.
Separately, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Madrid City Council today signed an agreement to promote use of electric cars in the Spanish capital.
The Alliance has also signed electric car partnerships with several Spain regions including Andalusia and Catalonia, as well as with renewable energy specialist Acciona.