Renault might not be the first car manufacturer to market electric cars, as Fluence ZE and Kangoo ZE will hit the road mid 2011, but in order to give a flavour of those exciting models, a lot of pre series cars will be seen on European roads this year.

Last week, the Alliance confirmed the next step in its partnership with Bajaj Auto by signing an MOU to build an affordable four-wheel vehicle for India and other emerging markets.  Although this was an expected milestone in a single program, it also represents a larger more significant strategic direction for the Alliance: mobility for all.

In a recent story in the New York Times and International Herald Tribune, Professor Ferdinand Dudenhöffer from the University of Duisberg-Essen made reference to a proposed BMW electric vehicle, comparing it to other automakers product plans: “I don’t know of any other manufacturer that has conceived of a car exclusively as an electric vehicle,” Mr. Dudenhöffer said. “The rest are based on conventional cars.”

Not quite.

In fact, the Nissan LEAF, the world's first mass-marketed electric vehicle, was created from the ground-up to be only an electric car. It is not based on any other Nissan product. The Nissan LEAF goes on sale in Japan, US and select markets in Europe later this year. Further, two of the concept vehicles shown by Renault at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show - the Twizy ZE and ZOE ZE - will lead to production vehicles that are also developed from the start to be only electric.

Some 40 analysts and investors recently spent a full day in Japan getting a deep dive into the Alliance’s EV strategy.

It was their first opportunity to drive Nissan LEAF, visit the AESC battery production plant and discuss with senior Alliance management our EV business model.

Four main topics were the focal point for day. In summary:

Some weeks ago I told you about the sound of EVs and the growing concern regarding quiet cars and pedestrians safety. In 2007, Nissan started real world field research in collaboration with universities and institutions to develop a new type of audio visibility for pedestrians, and particularly for those visually impaired and young children.

On Tuesday, May 25th Alliance Chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, will be appearing at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, MI. The event, which takes place at midday at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, will be a discussion on topics  including the consolidation trends of the global auto industry, the growth and importance of emerging markets, the outlook for the industry post-crisis and the development of electric vehicles and their role in the future of mobility.

The Detroit Economic Club (DEC) was formed in 1934 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to the discussion and debate of important business, government and social issues. The DEC continues to provide a platform for distinguished international dignitaries and business leaders, who represent the changing global environment.  The DEC is proud to have hosted every sitting U.S. President since Richard Nixon.

You don’t need me to tell you what a difficult year 2009 was for the global car industry.

Should electric vehicles make an artificial noise or be allowed to run silently? Opinion is divided both within the industry and among other interested parties and it’s a subject we have debated many times.

One of the great strengths of the Alliance is its diversity – it’s our way of doing business. Showing respect for the varied cultures we have within the companies allows us to capitalise on that diversity, which in turn makes the Alliance stronger and longer lasting.