Nissan North America and the state of Hawaii announced a partnership to advance zero-emission mobility by promoting the development of electric vehicles, as well as an electric-vehicle charging network, throughout the state. 

The partnership, announced at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo in Honolulu, marks Nissan's first definitive agreement in the United States. It will help to foster the adoption of EV technology, the automaker said. 

The Nissan LEAF will be available in Hawaii beginning in January 2011. 

"Nissan is a global leader in electric vehicles, and the state of Hawaii has shown similar leadership through its progressive policies and focus on clean energy," said Brian Carolin, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Nissan North America. 

Hawaii has created a $4,500 state tax credit towards the purchase of an electric vehicle and a $500 state tax credit towards the purchase and installation of a home charging station. The state tax credit, paired with an available $7,500 federal tax credit, could bring the price of a Nissan LEAF to as low as $20,780 for Hawaii consumers. 

As part of the agreement, Nissan and the state of Hawaii will develop plans to promote a charging infrastructure for EVs, as well as the deployment, operation and maintenance of a charging network. The partners also will work to coordinate the establishment of policies and help streamline the deployment of an EV infrastructure. 

"I appreciate Nissan's confidence in Hawaii and recognition of our commitment to pursuing a clean energy future," said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle. "By bringing the Nissan LEAF to Hawaii and working collaboratively with the state and our partners toward the electrification of transportation, Nissan is playing an important role in helping us achieve the goal of reducing our dependence on imported oil." 

The Nissan LEAF is a five-passenger compact electric car that uses no gas, creates no emissions and has no tailpipe. It has a top speed of 90 mph and is powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries, which provide the car with a range of 100 miles on a single charge as tested on the LA4 test cycle. That's enough to satisfy the daily driving needs of more than 90 percent of Americans and to circle Oahu.

Nationwide, more than 18,600 consumers have reserved a Nissan LEAF.