Nissan goes 180 degrees to develop own hybrid technology
Nissan, like
the German automakers, initially was hesitant to develop hybrid vehicles. But seeing Toyota's and Honda’s success
in the fast-growing segment, Japan’s second largest automaker tentatively took steps to the ‘green’
side by licensing parts from Toyota for the upcoming hybrid Altima which is to debut later this year. Now it looks like Nissan is further embracing the trend. According to Bloomberg, Nissan is now developing its own battery, inverter and motor for its future vehicles. Mitsuhiko Yamashita, executive vice president of Nissan, states the new components will provide nearly double the output of today’s current hybrid technology. However, states Bloomberg, the technology will not available until 2009 at the earliest.
[Source: Bloomberg]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
klaatu 2:41PM (4/05/2006)
About face! March (forward).
Of course, by 2010, Honda and Hyundai are going to have hydrogen FUEL CELL cars on the road, available to the general public.
Nissan, you'd better "step on it."
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Lithous 4:01PM (4/05/2006)
OK, OK, if I stay on topic, can my posts stay up?
At least Nissan is going to do it, good job Nissan!
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Takeo 4:36PM (4/05/2006)
The tougher competition in the Hybrid space should increase performance and decrease costs. Bravo.
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Fabulo 4:52PM (4/05/2006)
Yes, Hydrogen. Remind me of an easily available source of hydrogen?
The first who answers water gets a slap on the back of the head and sent back to physics class.
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Aegis 6:55PM (4/05/2006)
The likelyhood is that most hydrogen will utilize fuel cells, which currently GM, Honda, Toyota, Daimlier Chrysler, etc are investing in. Fuel cells will need an electric motor and battery to propel itself, hence the majority of the hybrid components can be used in hydrogen vehicles in the future. Investing in hybrids also will prepare Nissan for hydrogen whenever it comes.
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Carpenter 8:39PM (4/05/2006)
I think Fabulo is trying to say - so, where do we get the energy to disassociate the hydrogen out of the water?
Obviously, some idiots are planning to make hydrogen available in the U.S. from natural gas which - like oil - must be imported from the middle east. Now, I ask you all - how STUPID of an idea is THAT? May as well just run CNG powered cars, DUH!
Well, how about wind generators making electricity? Hmmmm. Good idea. Just about every square foot of space might have to be covered with wind generators, but hey, so what if it spoils the view and kills all of the birds, eh?
How about nuke power stations? Yeah, except that the hydrogen fuel cell cars are coming out in 4 years, and it takes about 7 years to build a station, not counting the (probably 20 years) of getting everyone's "okay" within a radius of 1/2 a state!
So - with the fact that we're barely coping with electrical energy production now, where do we get the electricity to make hydrogen?
See? More questions than answers.
Perhaps, some hydrogen will come from new processes being worked on. Perhaps, some will come from splitting water with electricity in a unit in everyone's garages (night-time electricity means more efficient use of current power generation - much of which is from coal, of course, but at least it is American coal).
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Joel A 8:51PM (4/05/2006)
Hey, folks, the post's on Nissan and hybrids. Let's stick with the subject. Thanks.
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MikeGR 12:06PM (4/06/2006)
Autoblog doesn't seem to have a trackback feature, so I just wanted to thank you, you were my source for this post:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/04/nissan_to_devel_1.php
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