PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RENAULT AND EDF OBJECTIVE: ZERO EMISSIONS
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Posted by: Matt



Paris, October 9 2008 - Renault and French electric utility EDF today signed a memorandum of understanding to create, starting with France, a large scale zero-emissions individual transport and travel system. The objective is to establish electric cars as a viable and attractive transport solution for consumers. The partnership was officially launched today by Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault and Nissan, and Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman and CEO of EDF.

The Renault Nissan Alliance aims to become the world's leading manufacturer of zero-emission vehicles. France will be one of the first global markets to receive these all-electric models, along with Israel, Denmark, Portugal, the state of Tennessee (USA), and Kanagawa Prefecture (Japan), all of which have announced similar partnerships with the Renault Nissan Alliance.

EDF, owner of the world's biggest fleet of electric vehicles, has considerable experience and expertise in electric power storage technologies and recharging infrastructures, and in operating fleets of rechargeable vehicles. EDF is committed to expanding the availability of clean mobility solutions.

Through the agreement signed today, the Renault Nissan Alliance and EDF aim to provide consumers access to zero emission mobility from 2011. In support of this objective, the Renault Nissan Alliance and EDF will jointly develop an innovative commercial project, open to other interested parties, leading to the set up of an Electric Mobility Operator in the longer term. The role of the Electric Mobility Operator will be to supply customers with the infrastructure to recharge an electric vehicle and to manage its range.

Between now and January 2010, the partners will study engineering requirements, national and European regulations and all necessary technical and financial procedures, including the identification of new partners, to ensure that the infrastructure is ready for a vehicle launch in 2011.

Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault and President and CEO of Nissan, said, "To reconcile the demand for individual mobility with the preservation of the environment and high cost of oil, the Renault Nissan Alliance is committed to the development of "zero-emission" vehicles. Thanks to our partnership with EDF, in 2011 we will be able to provide our customers in France with high-performance and affordable electric vehicles."

Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman and CEO of EDF, said, "This technological and industrial partnership paves the way for innovation that will promote the emergence of new-generation vehicles that are clean, competitive and ecologically virtuous. The aim is to reconcile the challenges of individual mobility and economic growth with efforts to combat global warming. This is the commitment made by EDF, which ranks among the energy companies with the lowest CO2 emissions in Europe."

Renault
The Renault Group generated global revenues of €40,682 million in 2007. It designs, engineers, manufactures and sells passenger and light commercial vehicles throughout the world. The Renault Group is present in 118 countries and sells vehicles under its three brands - Renault, Dacia and Samsung. The Renault Group employs 129,000 people worldwide.

Nissan
The Nissan Motor Company generated global net revenues of 10.824 trillion yen in 2007. Nissan is present in all major global auto markets selling a comprehensive range of cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and light commercial vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. Nissan employs over 220,000 people worldwide.

The Renault Nissan Alliance
The Renault Nissan Alliance, founded in 1999, sold 6,160,046 vehicles in 2007. The objective of the Alliance is to rank among the world's top three vehicle manufacturers in terms of quality, technology and profitability.

EDF
The EDF Group ranks among the leaders in Europe's energy market. It is an integrated energy company with presence in a wide range of businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, supply and energy trading. EDF is Europe's biggest electricity producer. In France, the Group uses mainly nuclear and hydroelectric generation resources, for an electricity supply that is 95% CO2-free. EDF's transmission and distribution subsidiaries operate 1,246,000 km of medium- and low-voltage overhead and underground power lines and around 100,000 km of high- and very-high voltage networks. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to more than 38 million customers worldwide, including more than 28 million in France. In 2007, the EDF Group reported consolidated sales of €59.6 billion, of which 44% in Europe excluding France. EDF is listed on the Paris stock exchange and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

Contact Info: Matt

NISSAN ANNOUNCES PRICING ON THE 2009 350Z ROADSTER
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Posted by: Matt

Nissan North America, Inc. today announced pricing on the 2009 Nissan 350Z Roadster, which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. The 2009 350Z Roadster is available in three well-equipped models, Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring – each equipped with a standard VQ35HR 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque and a choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions. Enhancements for the 2009 model year include a new Moonlight White exterior color.

The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP)* for the 2009 Nissan 350Z Roadster are:

* 350Z Enthusiast 6MT $36,870 350Z Enthusiast 5AT $37,870
* 350Z Touring 6MT $39,220 350Z Touring 5AT $40,220
* 350Z Grand Touring $41,570 350Z Grand Touring 5AT $42,570


Every 2009 350Z Roadster also comes with standard power-operated soft top with glass rear window and defroster, lightweight powered tonneau cover and a unique three-lock, single center latch system that securely fastens the top when up.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com

Contact Info: Matt

NISSAN ANNOUNCES 2009 SENTRA PRICING
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Posted by: Matt

Nissan North America, Inc. today announced pricing on the 2009 Nissan Sentra and Sentra SE-R, which are on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. For 2009, both the Sentra and Sentra SE-R receive a new rear trunk lid design, MP3 playback capability and a new Premium Audio Package. SE-R models offer a new optional SE-R Upgrade Package with power sliding glass moonroof and Nissan Intelligent KeyÔ. Every 2009 Sentra includes a long list of standard convenience and safety equipment. Estimated fuel economy is 33 mpg Highway/25 mpg City (Sentra 2.0-liter with CVT).

The starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2009 Nissan Sentra 2.0 with Xtronic CVT™ is $16,730. The Sentra 2.0 S is $16,960 with the 6-speed manual transmission and $17,760 with Xtronic CVT™. The Sentra 2.0 SL with Xtronic CVT™ is priced at $19,660. These four models are equipped with a fuel-efficient 140-horsepower (135 hp CAL emissions) 16-valve 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine.

The Sentra SE-R is offered in Sentra SE-R and Sentra SE-R Spec V models – both featuring sporty styling, enhanced performance and additional standard equipment versus non-SE-R models. The 2009 Sentra SE-R with standard 177-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and Xtronic CVT™ with paddle shifters has an MSRP of $20,660.

The Sentra SE-R Spec V, which features a high-output version of the SE-R’s 2.5-liter engine – rated at 200 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque – and a 6-speed manual transmission, is priced at $21,160. The SE-R Spec V also includes unique suspension tuning, larger diameter brakes and an optional Helical Limited Slip Differential.

Complete 2009 Nissan Sentra pricing is available on the attached sheet.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com

Contact Info: Matt

NISSAN TO TEST NEW ECO-DRIVING SUPPORT SERVICE
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Posted by: Matt

NISSAN TO TEST NEW ECO-DRIVING SUPPORT SERVICE
--Aimed at improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions--

TOKYO (September 22, 2008)--Nissan Motors Co., Ltd., announced today it would begin testing an Eco-driving Support Service which will utilize its advanced information system ITS*1. The service will advise drivers on more fuel-efficient driving methods based real-time analysis. Testing begins Sep. 24.

The new service, which will be available on Nissan's CARWINGS navigation system website, will evaluate the driving behavior of drivers who are currently taking part in Nissan's SKY Project*2 in Kanagawa Prefecture. The SKY Project, which began in October 2006, allows for vehicle-to-infrastructure communication to help reduce traffic accidents and ease congestion.

Eco-driving has been expected in the transportation industry as a way to reduce CO2. However, it has received little support aside from public workshops. Accordingly in 2007, Nissan introduced a new eco-driving support system for its CARWINGS members, the first telematics service for non-business purposes. The first telematics service provided information such as monthly fuel-efficiency rankings derived from members who drive the same model and helpful topics in eco-driving. The new Eco-driving Support Service can potentially improve fuel efficiency by basing its advice on individual driver's habits, giving a more personalized approach to eco-driving tips.

Details are as follows;

1. Comprehensive evaluation of Eco-driving
* Overall evaluation of daily eco-driving.
* Itemized evaluation of fuel-efficiency and idling.
* "Eco Forest" indicator which grows as eco-driving continues.
2. Analysis of eco-driving
* Change of fuel consumption in each driving range and each type of road.
* Points to improve fuel efficiency.
* Analysis of actions related directly to fuel efficiency, such as acceleration, idling, and air-conditioning use.
3. Eco-driving training
* Training program where drivers can learn eco-driving skills such as "slow acceleration" when starting, "using less acceleration and deceleration" while driving, and "smooth deceleration" when pulling in.
* Training program to encourage continued eco-driving with potential benefits like "up to 1,000 yen savings in gas money" and "reduction of up to 10kg of CO2".*3

Based on the results of the test, Nissan will examine the effect and acceptability of the Eco-driving Support Service. The results will be evaluated for use in future services including its CARWINGS service.

With its aim to reduce greenhouse emissions, Nissan will continue to introduce more eco-friendly products and services under its Nissan Green Program 2010.

(*1) Intelligent Transport Systems: An advanced information system connecting people, vehicles and traffic infrastructure.
(*2) SKY Project: SKY is an abbreviation of Start ITS from Kanagawa, Yokohama. This project is a collaboration between Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co., Ltd., and Xanavi Informatics Corp.
(*3) This is based on calculations by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in Japan.

Contact Info: Matt

NISSAN PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH WITH U.N. INSTITUTE
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Posted by: Matt

NISSAN PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH WITH U.N. INSTITUTE
- Research to Focus on Biodiversity Conservation -

TOKYO (September 26, 2008) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is promoting collaborative research with the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies*1 on biodiversity conservation*2. The research is in line with the company's mid-term environmental action plan "Nissan Green Program 2010."

This research is aimed at identifying the ecosystem impact of the automotive industry and the value of biodiversity conservation. The results of the research will be published as a cooperative research report with the U.N. Institute by the end of fiscal year 2008. The Institute played a leading role in bringing together a U.N. project, "Millennium Ecosystem Assessment" published in 2005, which evaluated the healthiness of the world ecosystem. Nissan has been conducting a research collaboration since 2007, with Dr. W. Bradnee Chambers, senior program officer, UNU-IAS.

As part of the research, a workshop was held in the US in August. In this workshop, world renowned experts in the area of environment were invited, including Professor Harold A. Mooney of Stanford University, and Conservation International, an international environmental non-governmental organization. Environmental journalist Junko Edahiro served as coordinator for the workshop.

Discussions at the workshop centered on biofuels and water resources, which have ties with the automotive business. The workshop implemented the method introduced in "The Corporate Ecosystem Services Review", a guideline to evaluate the risk a corporation may face by the change in ecosystem services. The guideline was published in March 2008 by the World Resources Institute, World Business Council for Sustainable Development and Meridian Institute. The outputs of the workshop will also be included in the collaborative research report.

Biodiversity was positioned as one of the most important environmental issues along with climate change at U.N. Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 and various measures are taken by parties to the convention on biodiversity under the Convention on Biological Diversity. A resolution to promote commitment from the private sector was adopted at 8th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological diversity (COP8) in 2006 and there are high expectations of corporations. Further, international attention is growing as COP 10, which will be held in Aichi prefecture in 2010, draws nearer.

Nissan established its environmental philosophy: "A Symbiosis of People, Vehicles and Nature" in 1992 and is taking various actions to realize the philosophy under "Nissan Green Program 2010." The goal of the program is "managing the environmental impact generated by our corporate activities, customer use of Nissan vehicles and the company's use of resources on a level that is within nature's capacity to absorb." The collaborative research is conducted as a part of this mission.

Outline of the Workshop
□ Date: Thursday, August 14 - Friday, August 15, 2008
□ Location: Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.
□ Co-researcher:
W. Bradnee Chambers (Senior Program Officer, United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies) □ Invited Experts:
Harold A. Mooney (Professor, Stanford University)
Charles Perrings (Professor, Arizona State University)
Janet Ranganathan (Vice President, World Resources Institute)
John Finisdore (World Resources Institute)
Marielle Canter Weikel (Conservation International)
Michael J. Kleeman (Senior Fellow, University of California)
Heather Tallis (Natural Capital Project) □ Workshop Coordinators:
Junko Edahiro, Riichiro Oda (Change Agent Inc.) □ Participants from Nissan:
Toshio Hirota (Expert Leader) and 5 others

*1 United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies was established in 1996 under the direct control of United Nations University. Its mission is to promote research to assist policy making regarding diverse sustainable-development issues. Its major research areas include Science Policy for Sustainable Development, Ecosystems and People and Education for Sustainable Development.

*2 Biodiversity: means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. (Defined in the Convention on Biological Diversity)

Contact Info: Matt

Crash Avoidance Robotic Car Inspired by Flight of the Bumblebee
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Posted by: Matt

Crash Avoidance Robotic Car Inspired by Flight of the Bumblebee
-- Nissan Exhibits for CEATEC Japan 2008* --
What better way to advance the development of crash prevention technology than to mimic some of the best proponents of collision avoidance in the natural world? Bees.

http://www.nissannews.com/assets/libraryImages/RobotCar1__mid.jpg

In a surprising project that will be unveiled at CEATEC, the humble bumblebee has given engineers at Nissan Motor Co.’s Advanced Technology Center a strategic hint at how to design the next generation of crash-avoidance systems.

Based on joint research with the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology at Japan’s prestigious University of Tokyo, Nissan has built the Biomimetic Car Robot Drive, or BR23C. It is a robotic micro-car that recreates bee characteristics with the goal of producing a system that prevents collisions altogether.
BR23C is one of many new safety technologies that Nissan is working as part of its 'Safety Shield' concept – an advanced, proactive approach to safety issues based on the idea that cars should help protect people. The approach classifies driving risks and accidents into six stages. It is Nissan’s goal to halve the number of automobile accident fatalities or serious injuries involving its vehicles by 2015 compared to 1995.

"The BR23C robotic car is positioned as the inner-most layer of this shield. We are expecting that this robotic car will support the development of future collision-avoidance technologies," said Mitsuhiko Yamashita, Executive Vice President in charge of research and development.

In flight, each bee creates its own oval-shaped personal space which in fact closely resembles Nissan's Safety Shield concept.

But more crucially, it is the bee’s compound eyes, capable of seeing more than 300-degrees that allows the bumblebee to fly uninterrupted inside its personal space. In order to recreate the function of a compound eye, engineers came up with the idea of a Laser Range Finder (LRF).

The LRF detects obstacles up to two meters away within a 180-degree radius in front of the BR23C, calculates the distance to them, and sends a signal to an on-board microprocessor, which is instantly translated into collision avoidance.

"The split second it detects an obstacle, the car robot will mimic the movements of a bee and instantly change direction by turning its wheels at right angles or greater to avoid a collision," explained Toshiyuki Andou, Manager of Nissan's Mobility Laboratory and principal engineer of the robot car project.

"The biggest difference to any current system is that the avoidance maneuver is totally instinctive. If that was not so, then the car robot would not be able to react fast enough to avoid obstacles," Andou said.

"It must react instinctively and instantly because this technology corresponds to the most vulnerable and inner-most layer of our Safety Shield, a layer in which a crash is currently considered unavoidable," he added. "The whole process must mirror what a bee does to avoid other bees. It must happen within the blink of an eye."

But unlike a bee, it cannot deviate upwards or downwards or diagonally, only in two dimensions and only in the direction that the wheels can turn.

"So in place of the infinite number of ways a bumblebee can avoid other bees, we have employed a rotation function, in addition to acceleration and deceleration as our car robot’s means of collision avoidance," Andou said.

Andou tells us that its instincts are intelligent, not its ability to process or even store data.

"This device only needs to process inputs every few seconds, and act on that," he said. "It does not require a huge central processing unit to run complicated programs or a large memory to store enormous data from previous maneuvers.It can operate continuously using an extremely simple microprocessor."

This research might have only just begun with the biomimetic car robot, but this bee-inspired technology has taken the next big step in creating technologies that may help one day lead to a collision-free future.


Other major exhibits

· Keynote Speech
Minoru Shinohara, SVP in charge of R&D will make a presentation on " The Future of Automobile with Car Robotics Evolution and Communication Technology." on Oct. 1 from 11:00 to 12:00 in Convention Hall B.

· Mobile Phone with Built-in Intelligent Key
Co-developed with NTT DOCOMO and Sharp, Nissan will unveil a mobile phone capable of functioning as an intelligent key for automobiles – a world’s first. The device will incorporate Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, a keyless entry system already featured in various Nissan vehicles. This is expected to go on-sale in early fiscal year2009.

· Robotic Agent
Pre-register your photo of your face with the robotic agent, and through face-recognition technology, it will welcome you like a friend and supply information tailored to your personal interests. Combining Nissan’s CARWINGS and the pivo-kun robot, the robot agent will also guide drivers to popular tourist spots.
The robotic agent Pivo-kun was featured on the Pivo 2 concept car revealed at Tokyo Motor Show 2007.

· Eco-drive Training@CEATEC
Professional Nissan test drivers will give visitors advice on fuel-efficient driving skills at a special driving course beside the exhibition hall. Visitors also can experience Nissan’s newly developed "ECO Pedal" technology which is installed in a prototype vehicle. ECO Pedal is a world's-first technology designed to assist drivers in operating their vehicles more efficiently.

*CEATEC Japan: Cutting-edge IT & Electronics Comprehensive Exhibition.
Sep. 30 - Oct. 4 at Makuhari Messe
Official website: http://www.ceatec.com/2008/en/

Contact Info: Matt

World's First Mobile Phone with Built-in Intelligent Key
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Posted by: Matt

Nissan, NTT DOCOMO and Sharp Jointly Develop World's First Mobile Phone with Built-in Intelligent Key

TOKYO (Sept. 24, 2008) -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NTT DOCOMO, INC. and Sharp Corporation announced today that they have jointly developed a mobile phone capable of functioning as an intelligent key for automobiles – a world’s first*1. The device will incorporate Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, already a standard feature in various Nissan vehicles.
The convergence of automotive and cellular technologies was made possible by DOCOMO’s expertise in the marketability of mobile phones, Sharp’s development of the phone itself and Nissan’s provision of technical support to ensure the key’s operability with its vehicles.

Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, installed in more than 950,000 units of various Nissan models*2 since 2002, employs two-way wireless communications technology to automatically unlock/lock*3 the car door and start/stop the engine. Nissan and Sharp has now integrated these electronic intelligent-key, wireless communications and electromagnetic technologies into the new handset.

As mobile phones increasingly become a daily necessity, the integration of these technologies*4 and the potential to further expand related functionality helped to bring together the three parties, who expect users to appreciate the seamlessly integrated features of their new handset.

Nissan, DOCOMO and Sharp will demonstrate this mobile phone with built-in Intelligent Key in their respective exhibits at CEATEC Japan 2008, which begins September 30*5. The three firms will continue to develop the product with an aim for commercial distribution in early fiscal year 2009.

1: As of September 2008, based on Nissan research
2: As of August 2008, Japan only
3: Manual remote entry also possible, like with conventional remote key.
4: Mainly automatic keyless entry and engine ignition, lockout prevention, plus conventional manual remote entry.
5: Wednesday, September 30 until Saturday, October 4 at Makuhari Messe.

Contact Info: Matt

Infiniti Announces Pricing on 2009 QX56
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Posted by: Matt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 22, 2008) – Infiniti today announced pricing on the 2009 Infiniti QX56 full-size luxury SUV, which is on sale now at Infiniti retailers nationwide. Following extensive revisions for the 2008 model year, the 2009 QX56 features a new exterior color, Deep Garnet, and the addition of an automatic locking door function.

The 2009 QX56 offers an array of standard technology and luxury equipment, including an Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System with XM NavTraffic® with Real-Time Traffic information (XM® radio and XM NavTraffic® subscription required). A 3-year XM® subscription is provided free of charge with purchase through March 31, 2009.*
The 2009 QX56 is available in two-wheel and four-wheel drive models, both equipped with a standard 320-horsepower 5.6-liter DOHC V8, 5-speed automatic transmission, Sojournerâ leather-appointed seating, RearView Monitor, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, power-liftgate and an independent rear suspension with auto-leveling. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2009 Infiniti QX56 2WD is $55,050 and $58,150 for the Infiniti QX56 4WD.**

Other available luxury equipment includes a Bose® Premium Audio system with Burr-Brown DAC and 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, power folding 60/40-split 3rd row bench seat, Infiniti Mobile Entertainment System, Intelligent Key, Intelligent Cruise Control and 20-inch chrome-finished alloy wheels.

Complete pricing is available on the attached sheet.

About Infiniti
Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles, including the G sports coupe and sedan, the M luxury performance sedan, FX premium crossover SUV, QX full-size luxury SUV, and the EX personal luxury crossover. More information about Infiniti and its Total Ownership Experienceâ can be found at Infiniti.com.

Contact Info: Matt