Nissan To Debut HEV, EV In 2010

Nissan has announced its plans to release a hybrid-electric prototype and an all-electric vehicle in 2010. The company plans to have the vehicles in production globally by 2012. The two vehicles will be powered by Li-ion batteries, part of another joint-venture the company has entered into with Japanese electronics giant NEC.

According to a statement by the company, Nissan is committed to zero-emission vehicles. The vehicle will feature under-floor batteries that do not reduce the available passenger cabin space. The electric vehicle will be propelled by independent motors attached to each wheel. The hybrid vehicle will feature a rear-wheel drive, parallel powertrain propulsion system designed by Nissan that has two clutches. In this system, one motor is connected directly to the vehicle's powertrain via two separate clutches. Depending upon the driving conditions, the vehicle may switch between the hybrid and conventional power sources to optimize fuel economy. The system also features an all-electric idling mode to conserve energy. Nissan is also working with French automaker Renault to build electric vehicles for sale in France.

Nissan and NEC will invest more than $1 billion in a joint venture to manufacture lithium-ion batteries for Nissan products. The JV's initial production target is 13,000 unit for Nissan's newly announced HEV and EV models. The units will also be used in forklifts manufactured by Nissan. The JV will produce about 65,000 units when the facility reaches full production. The company will also reportedly build a new assembly plant in Japan in or after 2011.

The joint venture, called Automotive Energy Supply Corp (AESC) is also considering the construction of battery production facilities in the US and Europe to take advantage of local tax incentives.

Photo: Courtesy of Nissan