When you think of regions of the world that are particularly innovation-friendly, Andalusia may not be the first one that comes to mind. In fact, most of us might have difficulty figuring out exactly where Andalusia is (it’s a 34,000-square mile autonomous community in the south of Spain). Nevertheless, Andalusia is indeed embracing future technologies, and today has signed an agreement (“protocol of intentions”) with the Renault-Nissan Alliance with the goal of promoting the development and use of electric vehicles.
As part of the agreement, the city of Málaga will play host to a small fleet of electric vehicles for battery life and other real-world driving tests. The agreement also outlines other areas of co-operation, such as defining which companies and government entities might be interested in purchasing a zero-emissions fleet, creating and promoting the incentives that will encourage Andalusian customers to invest in the technology, and hosting training sessions for the technicians who will service the fleets. Andalusia is already invested in the success of the Alliance — 1,100 residents are employed at a Renault gearbox factory.
Andalusia is the second community in Spain to form an agreement with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, after Barcelona City signed last year. While Renault owns a tiny share of the market in the States, they are much more popular in Spain, with a market share of almost 11%, more than both Hyundai and Kia combined Stateside.
Source: Renault Press Release
