Nissan has no timetable to sell Leaf electric car in China

Nissan Motor has not decided when to start selling its Leaf electric car in China due in part to a lack of national specifications for charging facilities, its China president said Monday.

Nissan, 44 percent held by Renault SA, is well-positioned in the race for China's fledgling green car business which analysts say could be the next hotly contested sector.

It will jointly promote the much-touted electric car next year with the city government of Wuhan in central China, where it runs a manufacturing venture with Dongfeng Motor Group Co.

But unlike General Motors, which had committed to selling its Chevy Volt in China next year, Nissan has not set a date for the debut of Leaf in the country, one of its fastest growing major markets.

"At this moment, we don't have any schedule because this is totally up to the setting of the infrastructure first. The biggest issue now is the charging stations and charging systems have not yet been standardized," Yasuaki Hashimoto told Reuters in an interview.

"It's inevitably important to have these standards, otherwise we cannot start the mass market."

Hashimoto also cited market acceptance and demand as crucial elements in the decision to introduce its Leaf to China, adding the Leaf initiative in Wuhan next year will help give people a chance to get closer to the car.

Beijing unveiled a pilot scheme in June to hand out subsidies to buyers of fuel-efficient cars in five Chinese cities as it moves to cut emissions in the world's most populous country, which is also the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases.

But the handouts only cover locally made green models, making imported models too expensive for ordinary Chinese buyers and reflecting Beijing's resolve to foster domestic brands.

Still, the market potential for fuel-efficient cars continues to lure foreign auto makers, including Volkswagen, which are racing to bring green cars to China.

China's output of electric vehicles is expected to reach 1 million units by 2020, Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, was quoted as saying by State- owned Xinhua News Agency in October.