Seattle will be known for more than the rain, Starbucks and other cultural cliches due to its new partnership with Nissan North America. The City of Seattle will partner with public and private players in the region along with Nissan North America to create an electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the next two years. Nissan’s goal is to encourage as many American cities to install public charging stations as possible before the 2010 release of its first street-ready EV.
The City of Seattle is unique among American participants in the Nissan EV launch for its existing infrastructure and utilities. Seattle’s light rail and street car system is unrivaled in the United States, offering a glimpse into the eco-friendly mentality of city residents. Seattle City Light has claimed that its utility grid has enough greenhouse gas offsets to claim zero emissions. Mayor Greg Nickels, the city council and other luminaries in the Emerald City have stepped forward to show their commitment to the Nissan EV project.
The Nissan EV will need Seattle’s public charging stations to become a vehicle for everyday use rather than a novelty. The projected range for the Nissan EV at full capacity is 100 miles and recharges within eight hours with a 220-volt outlet. In addition to the public charging stations necessary for commuters and downtown residents, the city and Seattle City Light will work to install 220-volt outlets in hundreds of homes to facilitate EV ownership.
Nissan’s EV looks like it will have plenty of places to roam given the automaker’s existing partnerships across the United States. Nissan has alreay planned EV projects in Tucson, Tennessee, San Diego and Oregon over the next two years. If these public charging projects fall through for financial reasons, the Nissan EV may struggle to become a mainstream vehicle. The momentum seems to be in Nissan’s favor, however, and the future of electric vehicles as a viable transportation option seems bright. The bigger winner in this project will be Seattle, Tucson and other municipal participants. By working with a major automaker like Nissan, government partners can “green” their cities and counties without spending a lot of taxpayer money. This type of private-public partnership may be the model for future EV rollouts rather than an all-corporate or all-government approach to EV infrastructure.
