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Electric cars are currently the preserve of specialist manufacturers like Tesla and Zenn Motor Company. But in less than two years’ time, electric vehicles could go mainstream.

Many car manufacturers, including General Motors (GM) and Nissan, are promising the introduction of partial or fully electric cars in 2010. But for that to happen, the infrastructure for plug-ins, which is currently nonexistent, has to change.

Last week both GM and Nissan announced partnerships that the companies hope will start to address the infrastructure issues surrounding plug-in vehicles.

GM has announced plans to work with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a non-profit research organisation that includes 30 of the top electric utilities in North America, on the introduction of plug-in electric vehicles.

The alliance, which claims to be one of the largest between an automaker and electricity utilities, will look at all aspects of the issue from codes and standards to grid capacity and public awareness.

“Together with EPRI and the utility companies, we can transform automotive transportation as we know it,” says Jon Lauckner, GM VP of global program management.

Top of the agenda will be developing universal technical standards for electric vehicles and the plug-in infrastructure that will be necessary. Just think about the joys of charging mobile phones to get some idea of the complexity of the problem.

“This collaboration is critical in the development of standards that will lead to the widespread use of electricity as a transportation fuel,” adds Arshad Mansoor, VP of EPRI’s power delivery and utilization sector.

Meanwhile, Nissan and the State of Tennessee have signed an agreement to pursue discussions about the infrastructure needed to support the release of electric vehicles.

In the UK, provider of plug-in technology, Elektromotive, is working with utility EDF to bring electric car recharging infrastructure to local councils in the UK.

The company’s Elektrobay technology has been on trial in the central London borough of Westminster over the last two years and was rolled out across the capital and beyond this year.

For further information:
www.teslamotors.com/
www.zenncars.com/
www.gm.com
my.epri.com/portal/server.pt?
www.nissan-global.com/EN/index.html
www.state.tn.us/
www.elektromotive.com/
www.edfenergy.com/elektromotive/