Renault-Nissan will hold large-scale tests for its new electric cars in the Paris and Milan regions next year ahead of planned mass production from 2012, the group said July 2.
The tests include a try-out in the Paris region of a new car charging network being developed in conjunction with French electricity giant EDF. "One hundred electric cars from the Renault-Nissan alliance... will be tested from September 2010 for a year by individuals, companies and local authority employees" around Paris, Renault-Nissan and EDF said.
People testing the cars will be able to recharge them in their homes, at their workplace, in car parks and along roads, the companies said.
Renault-Nissan also announced a separate agreement with Italian energy group A2A to launch electric car tests in Milan's Lombardy region in 2010.
Renault-Nissan and EDF paired up last year to develop an "electric mobility operator" -- a full network providing charging spots and battery exchange stations for electric vehicles across France.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
