Portugal Commits To Huge Electric Vehicle Deal

Nissan and Renault have signed a historic agreement with Portugal for the sale of electric vehicles, in order to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emission levels by around 20%.

This would assist the country in reaching the European Unions emissions regulations by 2020.

The deal calls for the two car manufacturers to begin delivery of large numbers of electric vehicles at the beginning of 2011.

As part of the agreement, Portugal will build over 300 charging stations which will be completed in 2010 before the first vehicles arrive, avoiding the chicken and egg situation that is prevalent in most other countries where electric vehicle sales are held back by a lack of places to charge the cars.

Over the following year, they will add another 1000 stations bringing a total of 1300 recharge points across Portugal before the end of 2011.

The country is also committed to 20% of government owned vehicles being zero emission by the end of 2011.

The country is very much at the forefront of zero emissions policies within the European Union.

It is unilaterally intending to produce 60% of all its power needs from alternative sources such as wave energy, solar power and wind turbines.

The French/Japanese consortium of Nissan and Renault already have multiple deals with national and local governments around the world to provide large numbers of electric vehicles, but this is the first time an EU country has made such a commitment is to buy electric cars and provide the PowerPoints for them.

While the public will still have to pay for their electric cars, the government is going to give each car buyer the incentive of a £600 tax reduction to make the vehicles a far more attractive proposition.

The government also intends to give multiple other incentives, many of which are yet to be announced but will include such items as free parking for electric vehicles, zero road tax, and zero vehicle purchase taxes.

Under the terms of the agreement, Portugal will have exclusive rights to all the electric vehicles produced by the two companies during 2011, and in 2012 the companies will be permitted to market their cars globally.