Carlos Ghosn has some harsh-sounding words for alternative vehicles which still use some form of oil for their operation -- think current hybrids and future extended-range electric vehicles. "I want a pure electric car. I don't want a range extender. I don't want another hybrid. It's not going to be zero emissions in certain conditions. It's going to be zero emissions." Sounds like Ghosn is taking a little shot at today's hybrids like the Toyota Prius and even Nissan's own Altima, which uses technology licensed from Toyota. Also under fire from the Nissan chief would be the next generation of green cars like the Chevy Volt. Intriguingly, Ghosn also claims that Nissan's electric vehicles will be profitable right from the get go, unlike many other impending alternatives... again, the Volt.

Another interesting tidbit revealed by Nissan's head honcho is the fact that the EV's his company sells in America will have the ability to travel 100 miles before being depleted, while Europeans will only require half that range.

[Source: The New York Times]

Nissan has been telling us over and over again that they will have electric cars for sale by 2010 and we are pretty darn sure they're serious about it. However, that doesn't mean that they are so committed to zero emissions that they won't explore less idyllic possibilities. Conscious of a vocal segment of the car-buying public that wishes to be able to travel well beyond the current range of a battery electric vehicle without having to stop for hours to re-charge, Nissan/Renault head Carlos Ghosn stated in an interview last week that they will be offering a "range extender" in some of their upcoming electric models. Ghosn is quoted in a piece in the Wall Street Journal, as saying that Nissan is committed to making vehicles that are "pure electric, zero emission. But you always have the possibility of having a range extender."

It's possible Ghosn remembers that the Renault side of the corporate family built 500 electric vehicles with range extenders back in 2003 called the Elect'Road (electrode, get it?). Though technology has marched on in the five years since that brief offering, perhaps they believe they can improve on that formula with a modern drivetrain, like that of the Mixim concept (pictured above). And while this compares closely with what GM is planning for the Volt, the article in the WSJ suggests that the Nissan version will go 100 miles gas-free as compared to the meager 40 clicks for the Detroit machine. That should keep those annoying trips to the gas pump down to a bare minimum.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

Lots of Nissan electric car news today. Shortly after hearing that Nissan intends to be a global leader in affordable electric cars, news comes that the company is looking at a few cities to trial some of their new electric vehicle technology. One such city on the short-list is reportedly London. Carlos Ghosn says, "We have not yet got to the level of talking to the mayor's office. At this stage it is just a feasibility study, but London is definitely among the cities interested." London seems to be a rather obvious choice, considering the cities controversial new congestion charges which would offer zero-emission vehicles a big advantage over their gas or diesel-consuming cousins.

Let's recap the other recent news. Israel and Denmark want in on the electric car craze too. In fact, What Car reports that Israeli authorities have struck a deal with Nissan allowing the automaker exclusive rights to sell electric cars in Israel for a period of ten years. California is slated to be the first stop for an upcoming Nissan electric car in the U.S.

Interestingly, Nissan hopes to get 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, of range from a single battery pack, which could then be swapped out or recharged at an EV station -- sorta like an electrified version of today's gas stations and part of the Project Better Place idea. Ghosn says that Nissan is fully capable of offering an EV, sans battery, for the same cost of a normal gas-powered car. After the initial purchase, the cost of the battery and the amount of money spent keeping it charged will be less than the cost of gasoline. Ghosn also says that Nissan's electric cars will be sexy and attractive. That seems to cover all the bases rather well. Nissan, you've got our attention... we're waiting!

[Source: What Car]

Click the Denki Cube for a high res gallery.

According to Nissan and Renault head Carlos Ghosn, Nissan has plans to become a global leader in affordable electric vehicles. Citing rising oil costs and environmental issues, especially in emerging markets, Ghosn is quoted as suggesting that it was a "very easy" decision when it comes to justifying Nissan's commitment to zero-emission vehicles. Ghosn says, "We are looking at a future of permanently high energy costs." He goes on, "That is why in our opinion it is time for zero-emissions cars, those that will be completely neutral to the environment." While much of Nissan's planned growth centers around emerging markets - oh, and the Middle East - those electric vehicles will most likely be offered here in the States as well, starting in 2011.

Don't hold your breath for fuel cells, biofuel vehicles or more hybrids from Nissan, though. Nissan has partnered with NEC for the development of large-scale automotive batteries and believes that fully-electric vehicles are the way to go.

[Source: Autocar]

Speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations yesterday, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that the 2010 Nissan Maxima would be getting a diesel engine option. This will be Nissan's first US market clean diesel and should come about a year behind Honda's entry. The engine will meet Tier 2 Bin 5 requirements and be fifty-state legal. So far there is no indication of what the price premium will be or what kind of emission control technology they are using.

The engine is being developed in conjunction with partner Renault and will be built in Europe initially and shipped to the US for installation into the Tennessee-built Maxima. Around the same time Nissan is also expected to introduce their in-house developed hybrid system along with the lithium ion batteries they are building in a joint venture with with NEC.

[Source: USA Today]