Portuguese Prime Minister to Use Electric Car

Portugal received Wednesday delivery of the first 10 electric vehicles in Europe from Nissan as recognition of the country’s work in electric mobility with the MOBI.E Programme.

The Prime Minister José Socrates (pictured above) is one of the ten recipients and will now travel exclusively by Electric Car for his official travels around the capital city.

Recently, automaker Nissan delivered Nissan LEAF, which was said to be the world’s first delivery of a Nissan LEAF all-electric vehicle for the mass market. (Read: Nissan All-Electric LEAF Comes on Road)

With this Portugal becomes the first country in the world to have a head of state using an electric car for official matters, according to MOBI.E.

Prime Minister, Jose Socrates, said: “Portugal is extremely proud of the introduction of the electric vehicle. This initiative is only possible due the fast implementation and development of the Portuguese MOBI.E Charging Network, which is considered a leading example to the world of how to roll out electric cars. Portugal is the first country in the world to have a nation-wide smart grid for electric vehicles.”

The other cars will be purchased by nine companies of the technological consortium that developed the MOBI.E solution as a clear sign of the need for a transition to Electric Mobility.

The cars were delivered by Carlos Tavares, VP of Nissan, in a Ceremony that occurred in Parque das Nações, in Lisbon.

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Portugal is stated to be the first country in the world to implement an electric vehicle charging network at a national scale.

The MOBI.E network, which currently spreads over 25 municipalities throughout the country, displays over 50 charging points already installed growing to more than 1300 normal charging points and 50 quick charging stations by mid-2011.

The announcement was made Thursday, Dec. 23.