The Alentejo west coast has been selected by Nissan for an investment that will not only benefit hundreds of families, but also serve as a welcome boost to the national economy.
The confidence Nissan has shown in Portugal through an investment that will top 250 million euros, could also serve as a catalyst for other brands to look at the country as the safe option in an industry in need of quality at the best possible rate. In a statement posted earlier this week, Nissan said the Portuguese factory would have the capacity to produce 60,000 vehicles a year.
The Portuguese Government said it would offer loans, fiscal incentives and other financial aid to assist in the building of the planned factories.
Nissan and Renault, which owns a 44 percent share in the Japanese car maker, have in recent years focussed heavily on electric cars and believe that these cars will continue to increase in popularity amongst increasingly environmentally conscious European motorists.
Nissan says it will start selling electric cars by 2011.
Negotiations between the Government and Renault-Nissan commenced last May.
Ever since, the two have also been looking at ways to create adequate conditions for electric vehicles to be an attractive proposition for Portuguese consumers, such as implementing infrastructures, a broad network of charging stations nationwide and campaigns to show the importance of lowering CO² emissions worldwide, apart from the obvious saving in fuel.
The choice of Portugal to sell electric vehicles comes at a time when the country is attempting to be a leader in sustainable development and diversified renewable energy sources.
Consumers in Portugal will further be encouraged to go electric due to the dramatic reduction of road taxes. An electric car will see taxes slashed by around 70 percent, as most of the current taxes are charged using the environmental components as a guideline.
