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You'll soon be able to buy an EV in China for just $8,000 after incentives

Renault is eventually looking to sell an electric vehicle in China that will cost as little as $8,000 after government incentives kick in. According to Reuters, Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn offered the prediction at the New York Times Energy for Tomorrow conference in Paris this week. Granted, China government incentives are approaching $20,000 per vehicle, as China looks to address its cities' notorious pollution problem, so there's some wiggle room with that price. And of course, the devil is in the details, and Ghosn didn't provide any. Still, such a low-priced EV would likely challenge the dominance of China-based EV makers BYD and Kandi. And the effort would likely be lucrative, given that it has been predicted that China will become the world's largest EV market by the end of the decade. In fact, the publication EV Sales said earlier this year that as many as 300,000 EVs will be sold in China in 2016 (by comparison, Americans bought about 100,000 EVs and plug-in hybrids combined through the first 10 months of the year). BYD is expected to sell 75,000 Tang SUV units this year. With such growth expectations in mind, automakers are focusing on China for potential EV development. Earlier this year, Volkswagen Group said it signed a memorandum of understanding with China's Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) for plug-in vehicle production. Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler also stated its goal to broaden plug-in vehicle sales in China. Renault appears to be trying to make an early mark in China. Dongfeng Renault Automobile Co., the Chinese joint venture between Renault and Donfeng, is looking to start testing a self-driving electric vehicle this month. Dongfeng Renault will use a 1.5-mile stretch of road in Beijing's Caidian district for testing purposes. Related Video:

Recharge Wrap-up: BYD building e6 for Taiwan, Formula E announces season two test dates

The West Coast Electric Highway in Oregon and Washington offers EV drivers a lot of freedom to travel. With fast chargers available along I-5 and many other highways, drivers can travel through large parts of the Northwest without worrying about being stranded. Most chargers are 20 to 30 miles apart throughout the network - which is helpful considering the extra energy needed to climb the many hills - but things get a little more difficult at the border with California. From Ashland, Oregon southward, there isn't another fast charger for about 200 miles. Read more at Green Car Reports. The BYD e6 will be built in Taiwan for the Taiwanese market. AJ Greentech Holdings will manufacture the electric crossover taxi, which can travel 186 miles on a single charge. "This contract will ensure that our initiative for revolutionizing green energy transportation is carried out," says AJ Greentech Holdings CEO Chu Li An. "By driving this e6 electric taxi, drivers will save 10,000 Taiwan dollars a year on transportation costs, an unparalleled deal, while at the same time, providing a safer environment for all the citizens of Taiwan." Read more at Hybrid Cars. Nissan and Ricker Oil are partnering to bring EV fast charging to Ricker's Convenience Stores in Indianapolis. Nissan Leaf customers who purchase beginning April 1 will be able to charge for free at the nine locations as part of the automaker's "No Charge to Charge" program. "In Indianapolis, we are taking bold steps to reduce our city's oil dependence," says Mayor Greg Ballard. "Growing our citywide network of EV charging stations is important as we transition the city's entire fleet off foreign oil and work with residents to increase their access to electric vehicles." Read more at Convenience Store News. Formula E has announced its preseason test dates for its second season. Testing will take place in August at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England, where Formula E has its headquarters. Teams will be testing cars with powertrains from eight new manufacturers for the second season. The public is welcome to come watch on the last day of testing, August 25. See the full testing schedule and read more from Formula E.

Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan and Endesa launch V2G project; BMW denies Apple will use i3

Nissan and Endesa will work together to deliver a mass-market vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system. The technology would allow users to charge their vehicle during off-peak hours, and sell energy back to the grid during periods of high demand. The two companies are looking to launch V2G technology in Europe, as well as exploring second-life projects using retired EV batteries for stationary energy storage. V2G allows users to lower the cost of ownership of their EV, and also helps stabilize the grid, particularly in countries that use a large amount of renewable energy. Endesa will demonstrate its V2G technology system in Madrid on March 12. Read more from Nissan. BMW denies reports that Apple will build a car based on the i3. German magazine Auto Motor und Sport said that such a deal was in the works, and that the Apple car could be sold by Apple and serviced by BMW. "We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles," says BMW. "Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions." Anonymous sources say that Apple could have a car available for production in 2020. Read more at Automotive News Europe. BluepointLondon will take over the management of 60 EV charging stations from Transport for London. The 60 chargers are in the boroughs of Southwark and Sutton, and Bluepoint expects to take over management of charging infrastructure in other London boroughs as well. "A better maintained and more extensive charging infrastructure will mean more drivers are able to use electric vehicles and join the early-adopters who are already helping London reach lower emissions level," says BluepointLondon Director Christophe Arnaud. "We are very excited to be playing our part." BluepointLondon aims to manage 6,000 charging points in London by 2018. Read more in the press release below. Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) offers plug-in hybrid conversions for GM light-duty trucks. The PHEV drivetrain offers all the performance of the original model, but reduces consumption and emissions by as much as 80 percent. It offers 30 to 40 miles of all-electric range plus enough energy to act as an idle-free power supply for tools and the like without depleting range. The EDI drivetrain can even be used to charge other EVs. Says EDI's Charlie Travis, "The light duty truck class is an important and high-volume vehicle category for fleet owners.