Nissan to Launch Electric Car in U.S. in 2010

Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn said March 5 that Nissan would launch an electric car in the U.S. in 2010, which would be introduced to the global market by both brands two years later.

Ghosn said new legislation in California aimed at cutting CO₂ emissions gave extra impetus to research into alternative energy sources and products.

Renault and Nissan will work together on electric technology, but with "different applications as the car will not be identical" under the two different brands, Ghosn said. "We will target different markets according to the brands," with Europe a priority for Renault while Nissan will focus on Japan and China.