Nissan South Africa has confirmed that it is currently in talks with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regarding the possible introduction of a zero-emission vehicle by 2012.

The group said it has entered discussions with the DTI regarding a number of issues, including the concept of zero-emission vehicles, as incentives are required to make the price of electric vehicles competitive.

Fumio Uchiyama, the general manager of Nissan SA's production engineering division, said zero-emission leadership remained a key Nissan objective, according to Business Report.

Nissan has stated its aim of reducing its vehicles' carbon dioxide emissions by 90 percent by 2050. Nissan Motor also plans to halve emissions by 2015, a move that only be achieved through fuel cell and electric vehicle technology.