| Zero-Emission
Mobility: Renault-Nissan Alliance partners Singapore
By Moses Akaigwe [igwemos@sunnewsonline]
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has formed a partnership with
the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the Land Transport Authority
(LTA) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) of Singapore
to explore the development of Zero-Emission Vehicles Program.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in the presence
of Lawrence Wong, CE of EMA, Dr Beh Swan Gin, MD of EDB, Yam
Ah Mee, CE of LTA and Thierry Koskas, Renault Electric Vehicles
Programme Director, the organizations have agreed to set up
working team of representatives and promote introduction and
expansion of electric vehicles in Singapore.
“EV development is an exciting new area particularly
relevant to the Singapore context. Singapore is well-positioned
for the deployment of EVs due to our relative small size,
urban environment, robust electrical grid and IT infrastructure,”
said Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive, EMA.
“Renault and Nissan aim to become leading brands in
zero emission vehicles. Singapore is for us a key priority,
as the geography of the country and the focus on environment
issues make fast and strong development of electric cars,”
said Thierry Koskas Renault electric vehicles programme director.
“We are looking forward to working closely with all
partners involved to make this project successful.”
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has begun ZEV initiatives in Kanagawa
Prefecture and Yokohama in Japan, as well as in Israel, Denmark,
Portugal, Monaco, the UK, France, Switzerland, Ireland, China
and Hong Kong. In the United States, the Alliance is exploring
ways to promote zero-emission mobility and the development
of an EV infrastructure in the State of Tennessee, the State
of Oregon, Sonoma County and San Diego in California, Tucson
and Phoenix in Arizona, Seattle in Washington and Raleigh
in North Carolina.
The Alliance has formed partnerships with 26 governments,
cities and other organizations to advance the deployment of
EVs worldwide.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance
The Renault Nissan Alliance, founded in 1999, sold 6,090,304
vehicles in 2008. The objective of the Alliance is to rank
among the world’s top three vehicle manufacturers in
terms of quality, technology and profitability.
EV Taskforce
To spearhead Electric Vehicle (EV) test-bedding and infrastructure
development in Singapore, a multi-agency taskforce chaired
by Energy Market Authority (EMA) and the Land Transport Authority
(LTA) has been set up with members comprising the Agency for
Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Economic Development
Board (EDB), National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of
the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and Ministry of
Trade and Industry (MTI).
The EV taskforce was set up to assess the benefits and applicability
of adopting EVs in Singapore. It will draw up the overall
plan of EV test-bedding and evaluation of the environmental
and economic benefits, with a view of a potential larger scale
adoption of EVs in future.
The taskforce will work with key industry players to examine
infrastructural requirements, policy requirements and new
business models arising from EVs, as well as identify industry
development and R&D opportunities. It will also look into
educating the public on EV technology though a nationwide
EV sharing programme or through corporate fleets. The taskforce
will set aside funding for interested parties to develop infrastructure
and buy electric vehicle during the test-bedding process.
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