Renault-Nissan Lures E.Leclerc into EV Frenzy

Reports telling us about agreements or joint ventures formed by Renault-Nissan and supposed to promote the adoption of electric vehicles are a common thing these days, so you shouldn't be too surprised to find out that the French-Japanese alliance has made another "victim". This time, it's E.Leclerc, the so-called "leader of mass-market retailing in France."

The two, or three if you count Renault and Nissan as separate entities, signed a letter of intent to collaborate on equipping the E.Leclerc parking lots with charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. If everything goes well, 50 centers will be equipped by 2011, another 150 by the end of 2012, with the numbers to reach 500 in 2015.

“The millions of consumers who patronize our stores travel by car and park in our lots. Developing responsible consumerism also implies reducing the impact of transportation on the environment. The partnership that we are signing with the Renault-Nissan Alliance will encourage the use of electric vehicles in France," Michel-Edouard Leclerc, President of the E.Leclerc Centers, said.

Renault will introduce its first electric vehicles next year and is currently showcasing a preview of the Zoe model at the Paris Auto Show. It is powered by a 80 HP (60 kW) electric motor, with an autonomy of 160 km (99 miles), and that can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 8.1 seconds.

“I am delighted to partner with the E.Leclerc Centers which will allow us to grow the network of charging spots in France, with their 500 stores across the country," Patrick Pélata, COO of Renault, stated.