Clean diesel heading to the JDM Nissan X-Trail

Click image for gallery of the Nissan X-Trail
Nissan has announced that a clean diesel engine will be offered on its Japan-market X-Trail SUV. Based on the M9R engine co-developed with Renault (it's marketed as the 2.0dCi in the French automaker's vehicles), the Nissan version will use new catalysts and engine management developed in-house. No specifications on Nissan's version of the engine have been made public yet, but in Renault guise it's good for over 40 US mpg in the combined cycle. Nissan also issued a separate release that focused specifically on its development of a SULEV-standard clean diesel (more on that at AutoblogGreen). It's pasted in full after the jump in addition to the brief release about the diesel X-Trail. Along with bolstering its diesel offerings in Japan, Nissan is paving the way for diesel powerplants in the US, as well, with a clean-diesel Maxima slated for 2010.
[Source: Nissan]
Gallery: Nissan X-Trail
PRESS RELEASES:
NISSAN TO INTRODUCE CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE IN JAPAN
- X-TRAIL diesel to debut in 2008 -
TOKYO (August 6, 2007)--Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced plans to launch a new clean diesel engine for use in the X-TRAIL sport-utility-vehicle, to be introduced in Japan in the fall of 2008. Based on the M9R engine co-developed with Alliance-partner Renault, the Nissan version will adopt original clean diesel technologies (high-performance catalysts and advanced engine management technologies). This clean diesel engine is being developed to lower exhaust gas emissions to levels comparable to those of new emission standards in Japan. Further details on performance and specifications will be revealed closer to introduction.
Introducing its first clean diesel engine in Japan is another action planned under the Nissan Green Program 2010, the company's mid-term environmental action plan focused on CO2 emissions reduction. Nissan is committed to bringing the right technology to the right market at the right time with the right value to the customer. Major research and development programs include fuel cell cars, hybrid cars, biofuel-based cars, electric vehicles, improvement in gasoline engines and clean diesels.
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NISSAN DEVELOPS ADVANCED SULEV-STANDARD CLEAN DIESEL
TOKYO (August 6, 2007)--Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that a new clean diesel technology using high-performance catalysts shows great promise and may be able to meet the State of California's standard for super-ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEVs), equivalent to the Tier2Bin2 emissions requirements. Nissan plans to do further research and development of the clean diesel technology for commercial application in its future products.
Three components work together in Nissan's new technology to reduce diesel emissions: modulated-kinetic (MK) combustion*¹, high-performance catalysts, and advanced engine control systems*².
Nissan's unique Hydrocarbon-Oxides of Nitrogen (HC-NOx) trap catalyst technology comprise a breakthrough construction which incorporates a HC-trap layer in the NOx-trap catalyst. The HC-trap layer serves to trap the HC which is oxidized to generate hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), which in turn react with the NOx gases trapped by the NOx-trap layer to produce nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gases, in addition to water vapor (H2O) as end products. The chemical reactions effectively reduce HC and NOx resulting in cleaner tail-pipe emissions.
The company had previously announced clean diesel technology that met the U.S. Tier2Bin5 emissions standards. With this new HC-NOx trap catalyst technology, Nissan believes it will be able to achieve cleaner diesel emissions in future vehicles that will meet the stringent SULEV-standards set by the state of California. In order to meet the SULEV-standards, hydrocarbons in vehicle emissions must be exhaust reduced by about 90% and NOx levels must be reduced by 70%*³ versus Tier2Bin5 standards.
Under the Nissan Green Program 2010, Nissan has announced plans to expand clean diesels to surpass current emission standards. Looking ahead, stricter regulations will be imposed in major markets including Japan, US, and Europe within the next few years.







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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gary Blomquist 6:42PM (8/06/2007)
Great, but will it really be allowed in California? The article indicated hope in that department.
Many have claimed to have the magic diesel that would pass California's standards, but not have yet complied or qualified.
I wish are CARB officials would be put to pasture and some sane ones replace them in California.
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paul 7:36PM (8/06/2007)
quite so. it would be so nice if we could get our hands on a bluetec diesel from Mercedes or a VW TDI
1337 7:50PM (8/06/2007)
Good engine, boring car...I'll take a Jetta Sportwagen 2.0 TDI.
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Matt 8:11PM (8/06/2007)
I like this thing. Why can't we get one? Looks like a modern SUV and much less girlified than all those crossovers everywhere today. Add to that 40 mpg, what's not to like!
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jgp 2:01AM (8/07/2007)
Yes, but will it blend?
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diesel 4:18AM (8/07/2007)
Hello from Ireland,
Just drove 620kms(380mls) in the old model 2006 x trail (it looks just like the new one) it has a 2 .2 diesel and was very pleasent. I reckon it done about 42mpg (33mpg US) most of my trip was on motorways and my speed would have being around 120kph about 76 mph
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ebm14 1:06PM (8/07/2007)
Dear Nissan:
Bring the X-Trial to the U.S. now
since we also would love to have something cool!!!
Thank you,
Ebm14
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vic 9:15AM (8/09/2007)
I'm driving an 2006 bonavista edition xtrail in canada. Took it recently to detroit, and no one knew what it was, and no one imagined it has a 4 cylinder. Everyone loved the sunroof. I've always wondered why the us did not get the xtrail. For us, its all the 4x4ing we'll ever use, and I'm not afraid to take it lite-off roading either.
Wished diesel was available for us, cos that would have been my choice.
Mind u most people had larger suvs when we went to detroit - couldn't say they needed what they were driving mind u.
Maybe smaller suvs are not required in the us or known of???
In canada we see lots of crvs xtrails, etc, not as many of the full size suvs.
Rule of thumb, if you are not pulling a trailer etc, a v6 is not required.
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