A future on wheels is electrifying
To electrify or not? That’s the question puzzling many motorists. But Top 250 chart star Nissan has no doubt where the future lies. Brian Nicholls reports.
WHILE many motorists scratch their heads and wonder “should I be thinking electric”, there is no question about it where Nissan is concerned.
Europe’s most efficient car manufacturer firmly believes the ultimate solution for sustainable mobility lies in zero-emission vehicles. And that, Nissan, says, means electric vehicles (EVs) representing a clear strategic direction.
Given the vast amount of work the manufacturer provides for its supply chain there will be many parts makers now, including some in the North East Top 250, that will be studying the portents carefully.
Nissan considers there are several factors - social, political, technical and demographic - all converging to create a receptive environment for zero-emission mobility.
The main reason, however, is the increasing demand for vehicles in emerging markets such as China, Russia and India. In such places today there are fewer than 50 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants compared with 800 vehicles per 1,000 in the United States. Inevitably, this will mean more cars on the roads and potentially for more vehicle emissions.
Nissan has committed to become a world leader in electric vehicles and will launch one in America and Japan next year, with mass marketing globally in 2012.
One thing is clear to Nissan: a mass market of electric vehicles on a global scale is what differentiates its approach from those of other automakers.
Nissan aims to introduce a range of electric vehicles that are safe, well engineered and fun to drive.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn affirms: “Electric vehicles will transform our industry, and we are playing a leading role in this change.
“We became involved from the beginning. We are taking position. We are investing. We are developing technology. And we are securing patent and intellectual property around the battery.”
Omission regulations are starting to be put in place in the United States. Negotiation in Europe and Japan is ongoing too. But Nissan is trying to speed ahead of the regulations.
Some criticisms, admittedly, surround the use of electricity to power EVs, and the environmental impact of producing electricity in particular has to be taken into account.
However, supporters of the switch can argue with impunity that the process of moving an electric car one mile is still more efficient than producing petrol and burning it in a car’s engine.
It is expected that EVs will be driven mainly in daylight hours then charged overnight during “off peak” periods of demand.
This, experts suggest, will use up current unused capacity at power plants.
For electric vehicles to succeed, though, countries and cities globally need to prepare a suitable infrastructure.
Local and national governments will be expected to provide the infrastructure support, promote awareness and educate the public as well as use EV fleet vehicles, offer incentive such as tax relief or parking rebates.
Utility companies can also support EV infrastructure by providing power load management or grid capacity expansion, as well developing further renewable energy sources.
While other manufacturers are talking about EVs, Nissan claims it is leading the industry in developing innovative partnerships by signing commitments with countries, local governments and utility companies around the world.
Currently there are 27 strategic partnerships in place with about 11 in Europe.
The parts makers will be keeping a close watch on this plug-in technology. A lot of jobs and fortunes, in the Top 250 and elsewhere, are going to rest on how the outcome is met.
