Nissan and the government of Kanagawa Prefecture today announced they have agreed to conduct a feasibility study of a full-scale electric vehicle project in Kanagawa starting in 2010. The joint-study will explore various opportunities including establishment of a local electricity-charging network and offer appropriate incentives.

‘‘In April, Kanagawa Prefecture had announced the EV Initiative Kanagawa, an incentive scheme to include subsidies and tax exemptions to promote electric vehicles. By 2014, we hope to achieve 3,000 units of electric vehicles in Kanagawa. The scheme is supported by the industrial and academic sectors. The joint-study with Nissan will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles among consumers. We intend to achieve a sustainable mobility solution with the “Kanagawa Model”, which can be replicated at the national and global levels,” commented Shigefumi Matsuzawa, the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture.

“At Nissan, we firmly believe that electric vehicles represent a viable and attractive solution for sustainable mobility. In collaboration with the government of Kanagawa Prefecture, we hope to clearly position the electric vehicle as a zero emission, affordable car with no impact on the environment,” said Carlos Tavares, executive vice president of Nissan. “By creating the favorable conditions, customers can then make a Smart and environmentally-friendly choice with an electric vehicle.”

Under its GT 2012 mid-term business plan, Nissan has commited to introduce a pure electric vehicle in the U.S. and Japan in 2010 and then to mass-market electric vehicles to consumers globally in 2012.