Renault and Nissan to follow battery electrics with fuel cells

Nissan and Renault have already announced plans to start offering battery electric vehicles beginning in 2010 for fleet testing with retail availability a year or two later. However batteries aren't the only technology they are looking at for emissions-free running. Hydrogen fuel cells are also in the picture. Nissan has been testing fuel cell-powered versions of its X-Trail SUV for the past two years with examples leased to Japanese government agencies. Renault and Nissan are now jointly working on a fuel cell version of the Renault Grand Scenic compact MPV.

The Scenic ZEV H2 uses a Nissan-developed fuel cell stack, with high pressure hydrogen storage and lithium ion batteries for recapturing kinetic energy during regenerative braking. All the hardware is mounted under the floor of the vehicle, maintaining seating for five adults. Both the X-Trail and Scenic will be shown at a variety of green events around Europe this year.

[Source: Nissan]

RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE ZEROS IN ON
EMISSION FREE VEHICLES AND ADVANCED FCV PROTOTYPES

PARIS (May 28, 2008) – A zero-emission motoring future has moved two steps closer thanks to environmental commitments from the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

For the initial step, Renault-Nissan Alliance will mass-market electric vehicles in Israel and Denmark in 2011 as announced at the beginning of this year. Moreover, Nissan has recently announced its plans to start selling electric vehicles in the US and Japan by the end of 2010.

And for the second step, Renault-Nissan Alliance is developing fuel cell-powered electric vehicles. Two prototypes are currently in an advanced engineering phase :

• Nissan's pioneering X-Trail fuel cell vehicle has been undergoing 'real-world' testing for more than two years, with examples leased to government authorities in Japan.
• The most recent development is a Renault prototype called Scenic ZEV H2. Based on a Renault Grand Scenic, Scenic ZEV H2 is a joint Alliance development. It features Nissan's in-house developed fuel cell stack, high-pressure hydrogen storage tank and compact lithium-ion batteries. Renault engineers and technicians prepared the Grand Scenic architecture to accept the different FCV elements under the floor, thus managing to keep ample cabin space for five adults, and to integrate Renault and Nissan electric and electronic systems.

Both FCVs have been created to demonstrate the viability of the fuel cell concept – the only by-product is water – and to underline the Alliance's commitment to a zero emissions future. Renault Scenic ZEV H2 and Nissan X-Trail FCV will be taking part in environmental road shows across Europe this summer.

From June to September, Nissan will demonstrate the X-Trail FCV in six European countries while Renault will showcase the Scenic ZEV H2 at its Environmental Workshop in Barcelona during the second half of June.