OREANDA-NEWS. December 21, 2011. DTEK and NIKO Trade house have announced start of working under project aimed at study of possibility to use electric vehicles (EVs) in Ukraine and development of EV infrastructure. Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) will be used for testing.

 The companies started working together in mid-2011 and three months later NIKO Trade house managed to import the first official electric vehicle in Ukraine for a study carried out by DTEK Academy. Based on the results of the study it was decided to continue the project in full scale in order to collect practical information on use of EVs and EV infrastructure in large cities of Ukraine (Kiev and Donetsk) and in the long term to create a concept of introduction of individual electric cars in urban areas of Ukraine.

 At the first stage of the project implementation NIKO Trade house shall import to Ukraine a test lot of Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicles which will be used to replace a part of DTEK’s vehicle park. The working group consisting of DTEK and NIKO Trade house representatives will study the results of EVs operation and charging infrastructure as well as the possibilities to integrate EVs into electric networks. The analytical data received during the study will be then submitted to the relevant ministries and authorities, in particular to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Saving of Ukraine, and Kievenergo company.

 NIKO Trade house and DTEK have decided to implement the joint project as they understand how important it is to protect environment which is one of the key priorities in the CSR strategies of the companies.

 ‘The idea to look closely at EVs came up in DTEK Academy, our knowledge management centre, DTEK Academy. Here we study projects that will help DTEK to be in step with the rapidly changing market environment, use the latest world trends and scientific developments. Electric vehicles are not only a potential new market for our electricity sale, but also a technology capable of changing the whole electricity grid operation principles considerably. Furthermore, caring for clean air is one of DTEK’s strategic objectives. Wide use of electric vehicles can noticeably improve the atmosphere of megacities, where up to 80% of hazardous emissions come from motor transport,’ Alexander Tolkach, DTEK’s Director for External Affairs, said to the press while talking about the expectations of DTEK from the project implementation.

 ‘Future lies in new technologies. That is why for over 40 years Mitsubishi Motors has paid closest attention to designing its own technology of EV manufacturing. The technological solution represented in i-MiEV is the result of many years of longstanding developments. We believe that cars based on Mitsubishi’s innovative technological solutions can restore our planet’s ecology,’ Andrey Nagnibida, CEO of NIKO Trade house, emphasized.

 Thanks to the joint project of NIKO Trade house and DTEK, Ukraine will join the world environmental movement intended to use electric transport instead of cars running on conventional fuel. The project will help Ukraine to fulfill EU requirements on СО2 and other pollutant emission reduction, make Ukrainian economy less dependent on oil products, and develop a new global market of goods and services.