Nissan-Renault takes its EV to US while Coulomb comes to Europe
Mar 24, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Nissan Renault takes its EV to US
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced its partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) “to advance zero-emission mobility by promoting the development of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network.”
Nissan plans to bring its electric cars to the U.S. next year and SDG&E will help build up the charging infrastructure. The partners will also work with local groups to get the network up and running, maintain it, and teach people how to use it.
Nissan has also developed a partnersip with Better Place to set up electric vehicle charging infrastructure in various countries. Renault-Nissan has set its sights on Zürich, London amongst others.
Meanwhile, Better Place’s competitor, Coulomb Technologies expanded its global footprint by opening a Berlin office, that will help expansion into the European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) markets. . Coulomb already has pilot project runing in San Jose and Los Angeles, California.
The partnership between car manufacturers and charging companies is important because lack of public charging infrastructure could be a deterrent to the acceptance of electric and plug-in vehicles.
Tags: Better Place, Coulomb, Nissan, Renault
Nissan to bring diesel electric hybrid sports saloon to Europe
Mar 7, 2009 Auto Tech
Nissan Infinity Essence
There is always a debate going on whether hybrids are really leagues ahead in efficiency stakes compared to modern turbodiesels. Are they worth the extra costs in battery and complex management of the two motors?
Now Nissan has decided to put an end to the debate by plonking a diesel engine in its upcoming Infiniti Essence concept car on show in Geneva, which may go on sale in Europe from next year.
The concept car on display at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show had a twin-turbo, direct-injection 3.7-liter V6 with 434 bhp and a new electric drive design dubbed “3D Motor” contributing a further 158 bhp and backed by lithium ion batteries, giving a combined 592 bhp. But a Nissan spokeswoman said that the European market may get a production version with a V6 diesel hybrid system.
Renault looking at an electrifying future
Feb 28, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Renault EVs coming soon!
Renault is stepping up its electric vehicle research and development efforts with the grand goal of having a third of its vehicle line-up go electric within a decade. In the recent future, Renault plans to have three battery-powered models on sale by 2011: an electric Kangoo van, a Clio-sized five-seat hatch and a larger saloon designed primarily for Israel but which would also be sold across Europe.
All three new models will use NEC lithion-ion batteries, jointly developed with Nissan, and have a range of at least 100 miles. Nissan-Renault has tied up with Better Place in several countries like US, Denmark and Israel to simultaneously set up public charging points and release electric vehicles.
Perhaps to hedge its technology bets, sister company Nissan is working on hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.
Tags: Better Place, Coulomb, EV, Nissan, Renault
Nissan-Renault and greentomatocars to bring EV taxis to London
Feb 28, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Technologies
Nissan-Renault has tied up with greentomatocars, a London based cab service to bring electric taxis and establish a network of car charging stations in London. greentomatocars already uses Toyota Priuses and offers carbon offsets as well.
Nissan Renault already has signed agreements with Better Place in development charging stations for electric vehicles and has memorandums signed in Denmark, Israel and Japan. It plans to introduce its first electric vehicle in 2010.
Tags: EVs, greentomatocars, London, Nissan, Renault
LA showstoppers : electric vehicles charging infrastructure
Nov 21, 2008 Auto Tech, Startups
Better Place - Nissan
Grand plans for setting up electric vehicles charging network in US are making all the headlines on the sidelines of the 2008 LA Motor Show. Three initiatives have been announced by Renault-Nissan, Better Place and Coulomb Technologies, that will put in place massive infrastructure for recharging and battery swap stations, many of which will use solar energy, in the cities as well as on the highways in California and Oregon. Battery swap stations should be especially exciting as it would mean you could just pop in a new battery when your old one runs out of juice on the highway and move on, a blessing considering the long charging times for batteries.
The setting up of infrastructure and sale of vehicles alternately powered has been a chicken and egg situation. Before buying electric vehicles, customers would like to be assured that they can recharge it or get batteries swapped away from their homes, so that the vehicles are practical and they are not stranded on road. Same is the case with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with almost non-existent hydrogen storage and disbursal facilities.
Hence, these initiatives will come as a major boost to green vehicle advocates. Read on to get the details! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Better Place, California, LA Auto Show 2008, Nissan, Renault
Nissan to sell electric vehicles in China from 2012
Nov 19, 2008 Auto Tech
EVs from China
Bloomberg reports that Nissan Motor Co., Japan’s third- largest automaker, intends to begin offering electric cars in China by 2012 as the country seeks to boost sales of fuel- efficient vehicles to cut pollution and oil usage.
China has cut taxes on fuel-efficient vehicles to boost sales of less-polluting cars and also plans to support local automakers’ research into alternative-energy vehicles. Chinese manufacturers have displayed electric vehicles at this year’s Paris Motor Show and one of them, BYD has even had renowned investor Warren Buffet buying its shares! Still, Chinese drivers have shunned hybrid vehicles so far, with Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius, the bestselling model in China, racking up only 616 sales nationwide in the first nine months of the year.
Contrast this with India where government duties caused the Honda Civic Hybrid to be priced almost twice its petrol model till recently and probably dissuading Toyota from offering the Prius. Although Bangalore based Reva is the largest selling EV in UK, its design has been almost unchanged for more than a decade, with lead acid batteries (instead of more advanced nickel hydride or lithium ion ones) and questionale safety (which makes it sell the vehicle as a quadbike instead of a car, to get around safety regulations).
Tags: China, electric cars, Nissan