It would be wonderful if there were one fast charging standard for electric cars. We’ve collectively gone through periods with dueling standards, and it was painful. But, the current environment has several fast charging standards (CHAdeMO, China, Combined Charging System, and Tesla) each of which are vying for dominance. Recently…
In late 2013, Nissan started funding CHAdeMO charger installation across the US as part of a larger plan to rapidly expand CHAdeMO infrastructure. Nissan, and the Japanese automakers, are continuing to press forward on CHAdeMO adoption despite the fact that the SAE and European automakers have chosen the SAE Combo…
Nissan as well as Tesla Motors is pledging to develop autonomous driving. In Nissan’s case the pledge is to develop a “commercially viable” autonomous driving system by 2020 and to marry this with their pledge for zero emissions. The two pledges together are “zero emissions” and “zero fatalities”. The technology…
While Ford and Toyota disappoint us in announcing they won’t collaborate on hybrid drive trains for full-capability SUV’s and light trucks, Nissan gladdens us with news they’ve sold their 100,000th electric vehicle. I frequently come across naysayer articles pointing out that electric car sales are 0.5% of all car sales. …
It seems my earlier prediction that Renault may be backing away from Better Place is confirmed (see Is Renault backing away from commitments to Better Place, causing a crisis for Better Place). I just wrote it up on examiner.com, but Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn just told a Danish news site…
It appears two things are at the top of Carlos Ghosns’ mind about the Nissan Leaf: China, and cost reduction. At appearances in Portugal and Japan recently, Ghosn talked about his intention for Nissan to take a leadership role in the Chinese electric car market, following the pattern which let…
At a public hearing today convened by California Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett to discuss Electric Vehicle Deployment, representatives of GM and Nissan sparred over electric car fast charging standards. A big battle is being fought over the charging socket of electric cars, one in which billions of dollars in…
The NV200 is Nissan’s flexible multi-purpose vehicle, with the e-NV200 slated to be its zero emission electric model starting in 2017. Nissan’s e-NV200 electric “multi-usage vehicle” (a.k.a. commercial van) was unveiled today in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. It is an all electric version of Nissan’s popular…
In the first time in over 110 years since electric taxi’s were last used in New York, Nissan and NYC are working together to develop the Taxi of the Future starting with a fleet of Nissan LEAF’s. Beginning in the Spring of 2012, New York City plans to deploy six…
Last weekend Nissan announced the LEAF (see Nissan announces the LEAF, an affordable zero-emissions electric car), an all-electric sedan slated to go on sale sometime between 2010 and 2012. Today the Auto Express is reporting that Renault (Nissan’s partner) seems to be preparing itself to only produce electric cars. They…
In the past electric vehicles have had a bit of fear attached to them: What if I run out of juice and can’t recharge? AAA can’t simply dispatch a truck with a gallon of electrons to refill the tank. The fear has enough of a grain of truth behind it…
Nissan today unveiled the Nissan LEAF, an affordable zero-emission electric car. It is an EV, not a hybrid car, meaning there is no engine, nor any of the other accoutrements associated with gasoline such as the gas tank and tail pipe. While it is an electric car, Nissan stresses that…
