French automaker Renault and its Japanese partner Nissan said on April 10 they had signed a cooperation accord with China to produce environmentally friendly vehicles.
Wuhan, a major city in central China, will serve as the pilot region for the project.
This is a "first step toward zero-emission vehicles in China," Renault and Nissan said, with the first models to hit the road in 2011.
Nissan will provide China with its electric vehicle technology and draw up a comprehensive plan to put in all the needed support, including recharging points and a commercial outline.
Nissan will work with the city government in Wuhan, home to nearly 10 million people, on the plan.
Renault-Nissan has launched similar projects in Denmark, Israel, Monaco, Portugal, the U.S. and Japan.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
