Wellington, Feb 12 NZPA - Christchurch could be the first city in New Zealand to create a network for electric cars, with plans in the works to introduce cars and charge points by 2012.

Christchurch City Council and the Renault-Nissan Alliance hoped to introduce the Leaf car, a medium-sized, zero-emission hatchback which could seat five adults, The Press reported.

The car ran on a lithium-ion battery and had a 160 kilometre range, and charge points would eventually be provided around the city.

Nissan said Christchurch was the ideal city to work with on an electric car, as it was flat and had a progressive council.

Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said he wanted the city to be New Zealand's first with an integrated electric car network.

The council may also give the drivers of energy efficient cars a second hour of free parking in council car parks, he said.

A working group, with council and Nissan representatives, electricity supplies and others, would be set up to consider areas of co-operation.

Power company Orion, largely owned by Christchurch City Council, had been planning for electric cars, chief executive Roger Sutton said.

"One of our planning scenarios for developing our network assumes a significant number, thousands, of electric cars in Christchurch within 10 years."

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