renault

Nissan: Electric cars could shed government aid in four years

Nissan Motor and alliance partner Renault could market electric vehicles without government incentives within four years as global sales reach 500,000 to 1 million vehicles per year, executives said on Wednesday.

Nissan, which is introducing a mass-market Leaf electric car later this year, needs government incentives to spark initial demand but understands those incentives will not be permanent, Nissan-Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said.

"You need to jump-start electric cars at a certain level so that we can get scale, and the scale will allow us to reduce costs," Ghosn told reporters after a groundbreaking at a plant in Tennessee … Read more

Renault intros front swivel seat for elderly, handicapped

As part of its "Mobility for All" campaign, Renault has introduced the first front passenger swivel seat by a European OEM. Offered as an option on the Renault Clio, the swivel seat rotates 75 degrees on its base at the pull of a lever to face outward from the cabin, offering easier entrance and egress for passengers of limited mobility--such as the elderly or the handicapped. Additionally, the seat meets all of the crash and safety requirements that the standard OEM seat does.

Compared to aftermarket solutions, Renault's MSRP of a little over $2,000 is a … Read more

Nissan Leaf to be made in the U.K.

Nissan will kick off mass-production of the Leaf, and the lithium ion batteries that power it, at the company's plant in Sunderland, U.K.

The Japanese company today announced that the facility will have a production capacity of 60,000 units a year and will start manufacturing batteries in 2012 for both Nissan and its Alliance partner Renault. Nissan will invest $640 million (486.2 million euros) in the plant.

Production of Nissan Leaf will begin in Oppama, Japan, later this year followed by Smyrna, Tennessee, in 2012. Sunderland will come online in early 2013 with an initial annual … Read more

Group promotes savings with open-source software

For about a year, a group of heavyweight automotive and technology companies has been working on a way to hasten development of in-vehicle entertainment systems. Their solution: share basic software development using the open-source Linux operating system.

Among the nearly 50 members of the group, called the Genivi Alliance, are automakers General Motors, BMW AG, Nissan Motor, and, as of February 17, Renault SA. Suppliers include Visteon, Delphi Automotive, and Continental AG.

The Genivi (pronounced jah-NEE-vee) Alliance is focusing on developing "middleware"--the layer of software that allows various kinds of information and entertainment applications to work together … Read more

Frankfurt showcases electric cars

As is becoming common at auto shows these days, a number of electric cars were on display at the Frankfurt auto show, with automakers showing off research into next millennium's generation of vehicles. On hand were concepts from Peugeot, Renault, Audi, Volkswagen, and Ford. Two entrants from Tesla were on hand, one a Roadster tuned up by Brabus, the only current production car available out of this lot, and the other the upcoming Model S, expected to begin production in 2011.

Are swap shops the battery breakthrough?

YOKOHAMA, Japan--As the mock-up electric Nissan Dualis crossover halts over the service bay, two robotic shuttles immediately start scurrying below.

One latches onto the underside of the Dualis, swiftly pulling out a spent battery pack. The other then lifts a fully charged pack into place. A green light, and away the driver goes. All in under a minute.

Welcome to the future of electric vehicles, as seen by Better Place. The Palo Alto, Calif., company aims to build an international network of battery-swap stations for electric vehicles.

The battery swap system, which made its global debut in concept form here, … Read more

A minivan with an attitude

So you think minivans are only for mommies? Try this one...

It's the Renault Espace F1, a concept vehicle cum hot lap publicity machine created in 1994 by Renault, Matra, and the Williams Formula One team, which put the 3.5-liter Renault F1 engine featured in the Espace F1 to good use by winning the F1 World Championship in 1993, with Alain Prost driving. Prost drives the Espace F1 in the video, too.

Where the standard Espace had a small engine positioned transversely in front, driving the front wheels, the F1 was a little different. Out that went, replaced … Read more

Companies in Europe plan electric car infrastructure

Automakers in Europe plan new business models for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids before 2011.

The business models will eliminate the need for gasoline stations. Energy will be supplied by utility companies. The automakers also will need to take into account the life span of batteries, which will depreciate and wear out quicker than the cars themselves.

Toyota Motor Corp., Daimler, Renault-Nissan, Volvo, and General Motors are among the carmakers that plan to bring plug-in hybrids and full-electric cars to market in 2011.

When that happens, carmakers, utility companies, and battery suppliers will need to be ready to take over the role of energy suppliers from oil companies. This will require a restructuring of energy supply arrangements and infrastructure.

But the industry also needs to examine such areas as calculations of operating costs, vehicle depreciation and billing systems.

"We have to prepare for a new era in our industry like never before," Thomas Weber, Daimler board member for R&D, told Automotive News Europe. "Managing financial conditions is crucial for a successful electrification of cars."

Electric vehicles are charging into Europe

After many years struggling for recognition, electric cars suddenly are big news in Europe.

At the Paris auto show last month, Chevrolet, Nissan, Renault, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Smart displayed electric passenger cars. Other companies presented hybrids, battery-powered sports cars, light commercial vehicles and tiny electric city cars.

No model captured the change in attitude more dramatically than the B0 (pronounced "B zero"). The B0, a collaboration between French industrialist Vincent Bollore and the Italian design house Pininfarina, was unveiled on the Pininfarina stand alongside a Pininfarina-styled Ferrari California. The stylish, battery-powered B0 stole the attention from the Ferrari.

Adding zero

None of this would have seemed possible two years ago. But recent fuel price spikes and the threat of mandatory carbon dioxide emissions standards in Europe have led automakers to add zero-emission vehicles into their product plans.

In London, the city-center congestion charge has led to a number of tax-exempt, battery-powered commuter vehicles from start-up companies. Stockholm and Milan, Italy, also levy a congestion charge. With other cities likely to follow, automakers now are taking electric-car development much more seriously.

Current trend in Europe: Electric cars

Spurred by tough environmental rules and high fuel prices, European automakers and suppliers have launched a bevy of electric-vehicle programs.

-- Daimler said it will bring an electric version of its Smart minicar to market in 2010. The company also is considering electric versions of Mercedes-Benz A- and B-class cars.

-- PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, in partnership with Mitsubishi, said it aims to produce electric models in two years.

-- Renault plans to sell electric cars in Denmark by 2011. The French company is working with its Nissan affiliate and the Japanese battery manufacturer NEC.

-- Bosch, the world's largest auto … Read more