Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., and Endesa, Spain's largest electricity supply company, have joined forces to develop a Quick Charging network for electric vehicles.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties, Nissan and Endesa have agreed to advance the technical progress and deployment of Direct Current (DC) quick charging technology throughout Spain. This is in parallel to the work started earlier this year between Endesa's parent company, Italy's ENEL and Nissan's Alliance partner Renault on Alternative Current (AC) quick charging technology. The DC technology will be based on the internationally accepted CHAdeMo standard for electric vehicle charging stations. The network will be compatible with the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle, which is expected to go on sale in Spain in June 2011.
In addition, both parties will analyse their joint participation in projects such as the SmartCity Project in Malaga, Electrical Mobility at PTA (Málaga) and the Quick Charging Demonstrator Project in Catalonia. For its part, Nissan will support the deployment process ensuring that Nissan LEAF and Endesa's Quick Charge device are compatible and the Japanese car maker will share energy supply knowledge and ideas learned during the development of the Nissan LEAF and other EV projects with Endesa.
"We are commited to be the leading utility for electric vehicles in Spain and Latin America, and that is why we are partnering with the most important players in this market, such as Nissan. Together we will unite our forces to ensure that the quick charge network will be ready when electric cars are widely adopted," said Borja Prado, Endesa's Chairman.
"We are confident that the Nissan LEAF's range will be enough to satisfy most drivers' daily needs. However, with the availability of quick charging, EV owners who need to drive longer distances will be able to do so with confidence knowing they will be able to recharge no matter where they go in Spain," said Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President at Nissan.
With its compact, highly efficient lithium-ion batteries and powerful electric motor, Nissan LEAF has a range of about 160 km (100 miles - US LA-4 mode) while a suitable quick charge system can restore up to 80 per cent of battery power in just under 30 minutes. Instantly responsive acceleration is matched by a top speed of more than 140 km/h. Best of all, there are no tailpipe emissions, making Nissan LEAF the ideal mode of transport for crowded inner cities.
Electric mobility is an important element of Spain´s SmarCity project which is lead by Endesa and which has become a global benchmark in the development of energy technologies for a new energy distribution and consumption paradigm. Involving up to 11,000 householders and 300 industrial customers, the project will expand the use of solar and wind power for energy generation as well as storing energy for later use in street lighting and climate control in buildings. To encourage the use of EVs, recharging stations will be established and a fleet of vehicles commissioned.
Endesa has pledged to develop a sustainable transport policy based on the EV as a key element in combating climate change, a cornerstone of its Sustainability Strategic Plan 2008-2012.
The MOU is the latest in a long line of similar memoranda and Definitive Agreements signed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance with Governments, local authorities, service providers and technical groups around the world. Spain, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has also signed agreements with the City of Madrid, the City of Barcelona, the City Council of Sevilla and the regional goverments of Andalucia and Castile-León.
The CHAdeMO- or Charge to Move - standard was originally determined and agreed by a coalition of Japanese companies including Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy Industries working closely with the Tokyo Electric Power Company. Today the association includes representatives from more than 150 Japanese and foreign companies, as well as local governments. Endesa, is a regular member of CHAdeMo. Together withEnel , they represent two of the three companies from the European power industry in the coalition.