General Motors Europe and Spanish energy company, Iberdrola have signed an agreement to jointly perform a feasibility study which, ultimately, will analyse the technical requirements of a recharging infrastructure for the integrated marketing and viability of plug-in electric cars. In a bid to further the use of electric cars, the two companies will assess the cost, development and practicality of the infrastructure needed to support widespread use of electric vehicles.

This cooperation will reflect the interest of both companies and will even encourage the further development of electric vehicles, GM claim.
Both companies already work together in another international project related to plug-in electric vehicles, coordinated by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) from the United States and with the participation of another 41 electrical companies from all over the world.

The main areas of the study, which will be carried out in Spain and the United Kingdom, are for convenient and safe charging for consumers. GM and Iberdrola will analyse the requirements for the location of plug sockets in private homes and offices, and public or private parking, and for the installation of electricity meters.

In the framework of this study, both companies expect to develop specific actions to assess the optimum viability of electric cars. General Motors Europe and Iberdrola will analyse E-REV technology and the electrical network capacity and will specify the conditions for the electrical charge of vehicles.

In case the outcome of the viability research is positive, both companies foresee to evaluate possible agreements with the different European, national, regional and local governments, to support the implementation of this initiative. Unfortunately, GM did not disclosed details of the cost of this project.