Nissan electric cars to plug into CO2-free island program

Nissan Motor Co. and Kagoshima Prefecture said they will team up to promote electric vehicles on Yakushima island, south of Kyushu in Kagoshima Prefecture, as part of a drive to turn the island into a zero-emission paradise. Under the initiative, the partners will gather data on how far electric vehicles can run on a single charge on the island, which is home to the highest mountain in the region. The findings are expected to be used to develop technology for accurately predicting how far electric vehicles can travel. The partners will also build battery recharging infrastructure on the island. “On Yakushima, where more than 90% of electricity comes from hydropower generation, we want to help reduce the environmental load further by promoting the use of electric vehicles,” Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga said, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Kagoshima Governor Yuichiro Ito. (August 7, 2010)