Nissan considering 2012 launch of electric car in S. Korea

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- Nissan Motor Co., Japan's third-largest
automaker, said Sunday it was looking at plans to sell its new electric car in
South Korea in 2012.
The environmentally friendly automobile is set to go on sale next year, first in
Japan and then in the U.S. and Europe. The decision of whether to sell the
vehicle in South Korea will be made based on market circumstances there, said
Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan's chief operating officer.
"A decisive factor on releasing an electric car in a certain country is what kind
of support the country will offer," Shiga said at the company's new headquarters
here, where it introduced its "Leaf" electric car to journalists from all over
the world.
"As the South Korean government shows a great interest in environmentally
friendly vehicles, we expect that it would lay down measures to encourage sales
of electric cars."
South Korea has been ramping up a green growth drive aimed at achieving
sustainable expansion while minimizing consumption of energy and natural
resources and reducing production of greenhouse gases.
The government announced last month that it would spend the equivalent of 2
percent of gross domestic product until 2013 on green growth as part of its
long-term blueprint to become one of the world's top seven green powerhouses by
2020.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
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