File this under: spotlight on China. First, General Motors committed to Chinese market-specific hybrids and plug-ins, now Nissan wants in on the action. Case in point, Nissan will release its Leaf electric vehicle in China followed by a possible hybrid Infiniti and, if all goes as planned, the company will break ground on a Chinese production plant, too.
Just days ago, Nissan's China Investment vice president, Tsubehiko Nakagawa, laid out the company's plans for the next several years. Beginning in 2011, the Leaf will roll out in limited supply for institutional bodies and Chinese government use. If demand is strong, the Leaf will be offered to the public, followed by an Infiniti hybrid model within the next two to three years. Future plans even include the possibility of Nissan opening a full-scale production plant within the country. This list makes it all sound so simple, but Nissan does have doubts about bringing advanced technology vehicles to China.
Nissan's main concerns are twofold. One, exporting a Leaf or hybrid to China will drive up costs and maybe price the vehicle right out of the market. Two, local Chinese automakers have an ever-growing lineup of low-price, alternative technology vehicles against which the Nissan products will have to compete. These two bumps in the road will have to be overcome for Nissan to see success in the world's largest auto market.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]
Just days ago, Nissan's China Investment vice president, Tsubehiko Nakagawa, laid out the company's plans for the next several years. Beginning in 2011, the Leaf will roll out in limited supply for institutional bodies and Chinese government use. If demand is strong, the Leaf will be offered to the public, followed by an Infiniti hybrid model within the next two to three years. Future plans even include the possibility of Nissan opening a full-scale production plant within the country. This list makes it all sound so simple, but Nissan does have doubts about bringing advanced technology vehicles to China.
Nissan's main concerns are twofold. One, exporting a Leaf or hybrid to China will drive up costs and maybe price the vehicle right out of the market. Two, local Chinese automakers have an ever-growing lineup of low-price, alternative technology vehicles against which the Nissan products will have to compete. These two bumps in the road will have to be overcome for Nissan to see success in the world's largest auto market.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]
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