Nissan has signed a memorandum of understanding with NEC Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation in an effort to promote a new membership-based charging service for electric vehicle users.
The service will be introduced nationwide in Japan with the three companies to conduct a joint study to develop charging facilities that can provide continuous service to users. They will also work on a business model for the charging infrastructure with the aim of making the facilities and quick chargers convenient for electric vehicle users including provisions of charging facilities for residents of apartment buildings and monthly parking users.
In a further environmental push, Sumitomo has launched the New Business Development & Promotion Division, which will be responsible for environmental businesses and is working on developing new approaches to realising a low-carbon, recycling based society. It will support the widespread adoption of next generation vehicles including electric vehicles with the use of lithium-ion batteries and the development of a system that will facilitate Green IT.
The link-up follows on from an agreement between Nissan and Sumitomo back in September to form a new joint venture that will conduct research on the second-life use of lithium-ion batteries previously used in electric cars as Nissan intends to accelerate its development of the infrastructure essential to promoting electric vehicles and create greater convenience for users.
