Nissan Reveals Name for U.S. Electric Vehicle Aggressive U.S. Testing Program Announced
25 August 1997
Nissan Reveals Name for U.S. Electric Vehicle Aggressive U.S. Testing Program Announced
TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire -- Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA)
announced today that it has named its production electric vehicle (EV) for the
U.S. The name for the new vehicle will be the Altra EV.
The four-passenger compact van is equipped with leading-edge lithium-ion
(Li-ion) battery technology, which offers a driving range of approximately 120
miles and acceleration performance comparable to similar-sized gasoline-
powered vehicles.
The Altra EV name reflects the concept behind Nissan's EV -- a friendly
high- tech vehicle for everyday life. The name, which invoked high
recognition levels in consumer focus groups, projects a sophisticated, stylish
image while conveying the EV's distinctive alternative energy theme.
Nissan also announced today that it has initiated a comprehensive EV
testing program in the United States, including hot-weather, urban driving and
marketability testing in California and Arizona. The U.S. testing program,
which will utilize three Altra EVs, is a collaboration between NNA, Nissan
Research and Development (NRD) and Southern California Edison.
"This is a significant step forward for Nissan in bringing the Altra EV to
the U.S. market," said John Schutz, Nissan Research and Development, Inc.
"Our EV testing in the U.S. is critical to delivering a responsible
transportation solution that accommodates the tastes and expectations of
American drivers."
The Altra EV, which will be manufactured on an all-new platform at
Nissan's high-quality Tochigi assembly plant in Japan, will undergo hot-
weather, performance and durability testing at the Arizona Test Center in
Phoenix. The Altra EV will be exposed to a broad range of performance
measures, including high-speed and multi- surface trials.
In Los Angeles and San Francisco, NRD and NMC will be observing the
vehicles in real-world urban driving conditions and tracking consumer
perceptions of the Altra EV in a series of driver clinics and focus groups
planned for this fall. Southern California Edison will be evaluating the
Altra EV from a fleet management perspective with particular focus on
commercial and consumer battery charging solutions.
"The Altra EV has tremendous promise," said Wendy James, manager, electric
transportation division, Southern California Edison. "Nissan's energy-charged
battery technology is a win-win-win solution for consumers, commercial fleets
and the environment."
The Altra EV will make its North American debut at the 1998 Los Angeles
Auto Show in January. Complete product, performance and design specifications
will be available later this year.
Based on an agreement with the California Air Resources Board, Nissan will
provide a demonstration fleet of 30 Altra EVs to a select number of California
fleet users in 1998. An additional 90 demonstration units will be available
to fleet users in 1999 and 2000, with retail sales beginning shortly
thereafter.
BATTERY TECHNOLOGY
The Altra EV is powered by Li-ion batteries which were jointly developed
by Nissan and Sony Corporation. Li-ion battery technology, which is also used
in high-end notebook computers, video cameras and other consumer electronic
products, achieve the high level of 90 watt-hours per kilogram as adopted for
EV use; about three times the energy density of conventional lead acid
batteries and more than 150 percent that of nickel-metal hydride batteries.
In addition, the batteries have an exceptionally long life of approximately
1,200 charge / discharge cycles.
The battery charger will use an inductive charging system. The vehicles
will have a permanent magnet synchronous motor and a new 32-bit high-speed
RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) motor controller processor. The
motor features a compact design, yet, it generates maximum power of 62
kilowatts, and maximum torque of 17 kilogram-meters.
In 1996, the Nissan / Sony Li-ion battery received Popular Science
magazine's "Best of What's New" Award. The editors of Popular Science select
100 out of the thousands of new products, technology developments and
scientific achievements they review annually for distinction.
In North America, Nissans operations include styling, engineering,
manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and
textile equipment. Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in
the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates more than 70,000 jobs
through more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent.
More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan
and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.
SOURCE Nissan North America, Inc.
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