- Nissan and the Chilean Ministry for Environmental Affairs sign the agreement
- Chile joins Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Colombia as the first Latin American markets to work with the Renault Nissan Alliance on zero emission initiatives
- Nissan LEAF, to make its debut appearance to the public at the Latin American motor show
Santiago de Chile (October 21st, 2010) - The Renault-Nissan Alliance announced today that Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (MMA, Ministry for Environmental Affairs) of Chile signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assess the feasibility and eventual development of zero emissions mobility in Chilean metropolitan areas. Executives from Nissan and the MMA signed the document looking forward for the implementation of zero emissions mobility in this South American country. Chile joins Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Colombia as the first Latin America regions signing MOUs towards the deployment of electric vehicle technology.
The MOU signed by Nissan and the Chilean government brings together both parties to work on the identification of opportunities for the development of an EV infrastructure, as well as the awareness-building and promotion of the advantages of EV use in the Chilean urban zones.
"Nissan is proud to be leading the way towards the development of an advanced, zero-emission driven society in Latin America. This new partnership with the Chilean government will allow us to further explore the possibilities of EVs in a rich and varied region like Latin America", conveyed Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Management Committee for the Americas, in a message for the occasion. "We look forward to beginning this joint work with the Chilean government so we can set the foundation for what will be a new era for electrical transportation in Chile and Nissan throughout the Americas".
As a consequence of the preliminary agreement signing, Nissan and the Chilean government will join efforts to support the promotion, development and awareness of the zero emissions mobility and its related technology and infrastructure requirements for Chile. This first stage will center upon the administrative issues that, once identified and defined by both work teams, shall lead for an EV testing stage. Nissan will bring along its technological expertise in the field of EVs and will work with the Chilean authorities and the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente in the creation of the blueprint that may lead to the eventual introduction of electric vehicles in Chile.
Once the first steps are agreed upon by both parties and there are advancements in the key deployment areas, testing of electric vehicles like the Nissan LEAF may be implemented in the future. To create greater awareness of the EV amongst the public, the Nissan LEAF made its debut appearance at the Nissan exhibition during the XI Santiago Motor Show, whose main theme for this year is the procurement of the environment. This commitment by the Chilean government in this matter, as well as the motor show thematic intention, were key reasons of why Nissan chose this event to show Nissan LEAF. This event marks the first time the Nissan LEAF is shown to the audiences at a Latin American venue.
Under the scope of the MOU, Nissan will make available its resources and knowledge in zero emissions in order to support the Chilean authorities from the product and technology side. For its part, Chile, through its Ministry of Environmental Affairs will work in the assessment of the administrative, legal and technical requirements needed for the correct deployment of EVs in the country.
"We are very proud that this year's motor show is dedicated to the green technologies because, in Chile, we are precisely in need of those initiatives. We are also working on this matter: in the [Chilean] Metropolitan Region we are developing a zero-emissions program to reduce the pollution that affects our capital. I commend Nissan for this initiative that allows us to keep dreaming even in the most unlikely things", said María Ignacia Benítez, Minister for Environmental Affairs.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance is committed to be the first automaker to mass market electric vehicles globally. The first EV to be launched -Nissan LEAF-will be introduced by the end of this year starting in Japan and the United States. The Nissan LEAF is an all-electric compact car which does not use gasoline, has no tailpipe and generates no emissions to the atmosphere. It delivers 107 hp (80 kW) hp and 207 lb-ft (280 Nm) form its electric motor and reaches speeds of more than 140 km/h. Its sophisticated Li-ion laminated-battery pack gives Nissan LEAF a range of up to 160 km with a single full charge (US LA4 mode), enough to satisfy the driving needs of more than 70% of drivers living within large cities.
About the Renault Nissan Alliance
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has established many initiatives all over the World with the goal of introducing and developing zero emissions mobility. So far, it has signed over 70 agreements and initiatives worldwide which include: the Kanagawa Prefecture and Yokohama in Japan; Israel, Denmark, Portugal, Monaco, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Ireland, China and Hong Kong; Vancouver and Toronto in Canada; Colombia, Mexico City and Sao Paulo in Latin America. In the United States, the Alliance is exploring ways to promote electric mobility in the states of Tennessee and Oregon; Washington, DC; Sonoma County and San Diego in California; Tucson and Phoenix in Arizona; Seattle, Washington, and Raleigh, North Carolina.
About Nissan in Chile
Nissan is represented in Chile by two National Sales Centers: CIDEF, which commenced selling Nissan cars in 1976, and Marubeni, which became official distributor in 1979. During fiscal year 2009, Nissan sold in Chile 1,752 cars and trucks, for a market share of 9.7%.
Nissan Zero Emission Website
http://www.nissan-zeroemission.com
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