With electric vehicle projects already under way in major cities around the world, Nissan can now add San Francisco to its EV mobility checklist.

The Japanese manufacturer and the city, on behalf of the Bay Area EV Corridor programme, are working to advance zero emission mobility by promoting the development of an electric vehicle charging network.

The area covers nine counties with the cities of Oakland and San Jose participating. Nissan has committed to making the LEAF electric vehicle commercially available in the Bay Area on its debut in December 2010 and now it will work with the region to promote and develop a vehicle charging infrastructure. This is expected to include home charging as well as streamlining the process for charging equipment installation.

The agreement comes a year after San Jose Mayor Chuck Read and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums pledged to make the Bay Area the “electric vehicle capital of the US”. Since then, the Bay Area EV Corridor programme has been formed through which municipal governments and private stakeholders co-ordinate their efforts to prepare the region for the mass marketing of electric vehicles.