Nissan

Nissan jabs Chevy Volt in latest ad

Given the hurdles they face in overcoming resistance to new technology, plug-in cars should show some solidarity. But in Nissan's latest ad promoting the Leaf EV, it takes a cheap shot at the Chevy Volt.

The Nissan Leaf ad, titled Gas-powered everything, imagines a world without batteries, where the sound of an alarm clock is eclipsed by the roar of its gas engine. A man talks on a cell phone spewing exhaust, and a jogger starts up an iPod with a pull start.

An office worker turns an ignition key on his computer, then revs it up with a … Read more

Nissan's mobile man cave

Nissan is angling to broaden commercial appeal of its cargo van by marketing the NV2500 as a mobile man cave.

To support Team Radio Shack on the Amgen Tour of California, Nissan kitted out a cargo van and turned it into what it described as a "man cave on wheels" equipped with satellite TV, bike tools, air hose, espresso machine, and bikes. The vehicle's maximum cargo height of 76.5 inches and nearly vertical sidewalls made it easy to accommodate aftermarket storage systems and cycling gear with enough space to stand and move around the interior. Occupants … Read more

Six small cars earn Top Safety Pick

Think you're safer in that Chevy Suburban than in a Honda Civic? Think again. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released its latest round of Top Safety Picks, and in the small car category, six newly tested cars achieved top marks in all the tests.

The six new winners in the small car category are the 2012 Honda Civic and Ford Focus and the 2011 models of the Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius. They join a group of 14 previously tested Top Safety Pick winners in the small car category, including the Nissan Leaf … Read more

Nissan constructing solar charging station for Leafs

Nissan began construction on a 30-car solar charging station outside of the future Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant in Tennessee. The solar charging port is expected to be completed in July, and will use renewable energy to charge the Nissan Leafs that will be produced there in 2012. The Nissan Leaf and its 24 kWh lithium ion battery pack are currently manufactured in Japan.

When the solar car ports aren't being used to recharge EVs, the excess solar energy will help power Nissan's manufacturing facilities, according to a Nissan spokesman. Nissan did not release details about the energy capacity … Read more

This Day in Tech: Risks of a hyper-personalized Web

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, May 17.

Nissan track-tests electric race car Nissan releases a video showing track testing of its Leaf Nismo RC electric race car. More

Bing 'likes' Facebook (video)Amazon may enter the tablet market with two mobile devices, T-Mobile offers free Wi-Fi calls, and Microsoft's Bing gets Facebook support in its search results. More

Winklevoss twins taking Facebook case to Supreme CourtThe twins' attorney says that a recent ruling against their appeal was wrong and that they will bring … Read more

Nissan track-tests electric race car

At this year's New York auto show, Nissan showed off its Leaf Nismo RC, a race car based on the Leaf electric car. But rather than just making it an auto show spectacle, Nissan is track-testing the Leaf Nismo RC and looking to start a new race series.

In a video released by Nissan, Nismo driver Tsugio Matsuda puts the Leaf Nismo RC through its paces on a test track, offering positive commentary about the car's performance. Other moments of the video show track engineers removing body components and spraying water on the battery pack to cool it. … Read more

CNET Roadside Assistance 011: Can't see through the glare. (podcast)

This is the 11th episode of CNET Roadside Assistance for Thursday, the 5th of May 2011. In this episode we take about trading a Z to a Quest, adjusting the glare on the dash, and finding the perfect car to travel 500 miles a week in.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 011 SHOW NOTES

• LOLcars (photos)

New York hails Nissan for its new cabs

Correction: This story originally reported that New York City would get 100 Nissan Leafs as a demonstration fleet. The correct number is 6.

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has chosen Nissan's NV200 minivan to be its next taxicab, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday.

The Nissan van will join New York City's taxi fleet beginning in 2013, and be the official taxi of New York for the following 10 years. All taxis currently on the road, including the city's newer hybrid cabs, will be phased out by 2018.

As part of the deal, Nissan is … Read more

Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf ace their crash tests

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today that the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf performed quite well in its first-ever crash tests on "mainstream" electric cars.

According to the IIHS, the Volt and Leaf earned the highest rating of "good" for front, side, rear, and rollover crashes. Both vehicles qualified for the organization's Top Safety Pick award, given to vehicles that deliver "state-of-the-art crash protection."

"The milestone demonstrates that automakers are using the same safety engineering in new electric cars as they do in gasoline-powered vehicles," the IIHS said in … Read more