Renault Said to be Planning Test of Fluence EV in China Next Year

Renault Said to be Planning Test of Fluence EV in China Next Year

Renault's Fluence EV was developed for the company's ambitious venture with California-based Better Place to bring electric cars with quick-swap battery packs to Israel and Denmark over the next two years.

Now it look as though China wants in on the program.

The Beijing Times has reported - according to Chinese automotive information site Gasgoo.com - that Renault has received orders for 200 of the EVs from China since it was first shown at the Paris Auto Show earlier this year and now plans to bring five Fluence EVs to China for testing in 2011.

The Fluence EV features a lithium-ion battery pack that can be charged from the power grid but also is designed so a depleted pack can quickly be swapped for a fully charged pack at one of the battery exchange stations Better Place is building in Israel and Denmark (and, for demonstration purposes, in the San Francisco Bay area and Tokyo).

Renault, perhaps opening the door a bit for Better Place, reportedly told Chinese authorities that it is concerned about bringing in any more of the cars until the countyr's EV charging infrastructure is more developed.

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.