An electric car prototype is displayed to the media after a news conference in Tel Aviv May 11, 2008.
Photo: Gil Cohen Magen

DUBLIN - France's Renault and Japan's Nissan will supply electric cars to the Irish market within two years as part of a government plan to have 10 percent of vehicles electric by 2020, Ireland's Energy Minister said on Friday.

"Today's initiative will transform our streets, will cut carbon emissions and change the face of transport in Ireland," Minister Eamon Ryan said.

Ryan said the government hoped to sign similar agreements with other auto manufacturers to ensure that around 230,000 electric vehicles are on Irish roads by 2020.

Under Friday's deal, Ireland will be one of the first countries in the world to be supplied with both Renault and Nissan electric cars.

The Franco-Japanese alliance is aiming to be the first to mass-market zero emission electric cars, starting with an initial limited roll-out in 2010.

Renault has said it wants to sell 20,000 to 40,000 electric cars in 2011, while Nissan has not disclosed a target.

Electric vehicles are meant to be cheaper to run than regular cars and cut down carbon dioxide emissions.

(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins; Editing by David Holmes)

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