Tuned-up version of the iQ by Gazoo-Racing in Japan

Gazoo Racing who's working on the Lexus LF-A while racing at the Nurbugring, today announced a tuned iQ, the iQ GAZOO Racing MN, where M stands for Master and N for Nurburgring…

The little Gazoo Racing iQ will be sold in Japan starting November 13th and will be limited to only 100 units. While Gazoo Racing didn't tweak or improve the engine, they worked on some basics like adding reinforced brace to improve both cornering and straight away stability, added a sport suspension kit, improved breaking disk and pad, new aluminum wheels, rear spoiler while dropping the CVT for a 6 speed manual gear box.

Source: Nihon Car

Toyota Prius Coupe is coming to combat CR-Z! (来年1月のオートサロンで公開されるのはホンダCR-Z対抗のプリウスクーペ！)

Back in March, it was reported by Auto Express (earlier post) that Toyota is developing an exciting performance hybrid which would rival Honda’s upcoming CR-Z.

Japanese Best Car magazine is now claiming that Toyota is indeed developing such a model, based on Prius, which will be shown at next year's Auto Salon. Pininfarina and Italdesign Giugiaro are among the design studios considered for developing the design.

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Text in Japanese

トヨタは宣伝部を解体し、新マーケティング会社を設立。その会社が手がけるクルマの第1弾がプリウスをベースとしたニューモデルという情報を独占入手。そのクルマがここで紹介するプリウスクーペで、イタリアンデザインをまとっての登場となる。イタリアのカロッツェリアが手がけたデザインというだけでもクルマ好きの食指が動くはずの注目モデルだ。ピニンファリーナ、イタルデザインなどが考えられるが、これまでのトヨタ車とは一線を画すモデルであることは間違いない。CR-Zは東京モーターショーで市販モデルを公開し、来年2月に発表されるが、発表のタイミング的にはCR-Zの対抗馬と考えるのが妥当。心の底から楽しみなプリウスクーペの情報が読めるのはBC9月26日号だけ！
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Source: Best Car magzine

Toyota adds LED Tech Pack to new Prius

“Will new Prius have LED headlights?” and “is an auto-dimming rear-view mirror available?” were two of the most frequently heard questions about new Prius’s equipment features in the lead-up to new full hybrid car’s launch. Toyota decided that “no” should not be the answer and moved quickly to tailor its new model range to meet customer demand.

The result is a new LED Tech Pack option, readied in time for Prius’s official launch date.

The new pack is available on Prius T Spirit and brings together a range of hi-tech equipment features. Foremost among these are LED headlights, which illuminate quicker, last longer and use significantly less energy than both halogen and xenon types.

LEDs are used for twin low-beam projects, with halogen bulbs for the high-beam and driving lights. Together with the LED tail and stop lights that are fitted as standard to new Prius, they can cut the vehicle’s electricity consumption by up to 30 per cent.

The headlights light up automatically with a dusk-sensing function and are fitted with integrated washers. The pack also provides and auto-dimming rear view mirror and water-repellent treatment on front side window glass.

In a further move to meet customer preference, the optional Protection Pack, comprising a boot liner and rear parking sensors, is being made available on the T3 version of Prius.

Source: Toyota GB

Toyota to boost production of 2010 Lexus HS 250h to meet demand

The brand new Lexus HS 250h, which just made its debut last month in Japan and the U.S., is selling like hot-cakes. According to Japan’s Nikkei, Toyota was targeting 500 sales per month, but has already received close to 9,000 orders.

Toyota, which produced 2,000 units of the HS 250h in July, in now looking to nearly triple production of the dedicated hybrid Lexus model by October. Officials said that employees has been working overtime to keep up with the demand of the HS 250h.

The 2010 Lexus HS 250h gets an EPA-estimated ratings of 35 mpg city and 34 mpg on the highway for a combined 35 mpg on regular 87-octane gasoline. Prices start at $34,200 for the standard model and $36,970 for the Premium model.

Source: egmCarTech

Ghosn: Electric cars worth the billions being invested (...and Leaf's Li-Ion batteries alone cost about $10,000 per vehicle)

Japan--Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says the potential payoff from pioneering zero-emission cars is worth the risk of investing billions.

Electric vehicles could take 10 percent of the global market by 2020, or roughly 6 million units in annual sales, Ghosn said.

His comments came during the unveiling of the near-production version of Nissan's new electric four-door Leaf hatchback, which goes on sale next year. Nissan showed the Leaf at the Aug. 2 opening of its new global headquarters here.

Where rivals see a niche, Nissan has "a completely different vision," Ghosn said. "We see it as mass market."

Electric-vehicle sales hardly even register in today's market. But Nissan Motors, after long trailing Honda Motors and Toyota in hybrid vehicle technology, sees its lithium ion battery-powered electric vehicles as a way to jump ahead in the green-car race.

The plan calls for funneling billions of dollars over the next several years into building electric-vehicle assembly lines and battery plants for the cars in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Nissan expects its electric-vehicle production capacity to reach 200,000 units a year by 2012.

It has already won a $1.6 billion low-interest loan from the U.S. government to start production at its Smyrna, Tenn., complex. But that will likely be a fraction of the global outlay.

Nissan chose the name Leaf for its new electric car because it has light, airy, natural connotations, said Nissan chief designer Shiro Nakamura. The sky-blue Leaf shown Aug. 2 is very close to production version that will go on sale next year in the United States and Japan, he added.

Designers sought a distinctive green-car look but shunned the stereotypical toylike appearance of electric concept cars in favor of lines that recall a "real car," Nakamura said.

The Leaf seats five adults and is slightly wider and longer than the Nissan Versa. It has a range of 100 miles per charge. Pricing has not been announced--and price will be a key challenge.

The Leaf's lithium ion batteries alone cost about $10,000 per vehicle, said Noboru Tateishi, program director for Nissan's electric vehicle projects.

Ghosn said the goal is to bring the price of the car, minus the battery, to the same range as a comparable gasoline-engine car. Consumers likely would lease the battery at a cost that, including charging, will be cheaper than what they would have paid for gasoline, he said.

Nissan wants to mass-market its electric vehicles globally by 2012.

Source: Automotive News via The Car Tech blog

In U.S. hybrid battle, Insight starts slowly while Prius gains steam

It's a good thing the redesigned Honda Insight is surpassing sales expectations in Japan, because its debut in the United States has been a disappointment.

Despite a major advertising campaign and the Insight's $2,000 price advantage over the redesigned Toyota Prius, U.S. consumers are not embracing Honda's new hybrid.

"Both are great cars [but] Prius is greenspeak for 'hybrid,'" said David Wilson, president of Wilson Automotive Group in Orange, Calif., which has both Honda and Toyota franchises.

Honda had hoped to sell 90,000 Insights a year in the United States, but the sour economy forced a revision at the time of the hybrid's March launch, to 60,000 units. So far Honda is off that pace, with only 7,524 sales through June. By contrast, Toyota sold 55,751 Priuses from January 1 through June.

TNS Compete, a marketing consulting firm in Boston, says it tracked 70,700 Prius shoppers in June and found that about 13,000 bought a Prius. Lincoln Merrihew, TNS' managing director, described the 18 percent conversion rate as healthy.

By contrast, TNS reported that about 40,000 Insight shoppers in June bought only 2,079 vehicles, a conversion rate of about 5 percent. Merrihew called that a typical ratio for a new-vehicle launch.

Wilson said: "Prius is also the most visually hybrid-looking of the two. If you are trying to make that environmentally conscious statement, Prius will be your first choice."

Another multiline dealer with Honda and Toyota stores said: "There is no cross-shop between Prius and Insight. Prius buyers come in on the Prius and buy a Prius. Honda buyers come in on Insight, find it a bit small and move to a Civic Hybrid. It will take time for Insight to catch up with the level of awareness and purchase intention that Prius has built up over several years."

Still, the dealer said, at least one of his Honda stores is "selling every Insight they get and needing more. I think relatively low gas prices and the low level of awareness are the biggest issues for Insight right now."

While the Insight is struggling to find its footing in the United States, its Japanese launch has gone well. The original Japanese sales target was 60,000 a year. But Koichi Kondo, an executive vice president at Honda Motor, said the Insight is on pace to reach 100,000 sales in the fiscal year that ends next March 31. Honda sold 36,457 Insights in Japan from its February 6 launch through June.

The third-generation Toyota Prius hit the Japanese market on May 18. Toyota sold 21,200 Priuses in June in Japan.

Honda Motor spokeswoman Yasuko Matsuura said the company is not deliberately holding back exports of the Japan-made Insight. She blamed disappointing U.S. demand on overall market conditions, not competition with the Prius.

Sage Marie, a spokesman for American Honda Motor, said it is too early to call the Insight a hit or a flop in the United States.

"We're still building awareness," Marie said. "We're just a few months into a launch of an all-new product. We still want to sell 90,000 Insights. Are we going to do this the first year? Probably not."

Source: Automotive News via The Car Tech blog

Nissan retailing of the Leaf electric vehicle starts next year in five markets

Just days after pulling the wraps off of its prototype Leaf electric vehicle in Japan, Nissan Motor Co. says it has committed to an early launch of 5,000 sales in the United States, starting late next year.

The plan will require Nissan North America to begin retailing the Leaf at U.S. dealerships two years ahead of the schedule outlined by Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn.

The first 5,000 U.S. Leafs will take part in a five-market study of electric-vehicle driving habits. Nissan and various public utilities and government agencies want to make sure they understand how consumers recharge their vehicles.

Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning and strategy, says it is not merely a market test but rather the bona fide launch of mass electric-vehicle retailing.

"We're moving fast," Perry says. "This is not a test to determine whether or not it's going to work. This is the beginning of mass marketing."

Buy them

Customers will buy the cars from dealerships. But they must agree to have their recharging habits monitored through an onboard black box for their first two years of ownership.

Nissan will qualify which consumers get to purchase the first 5,000 Leafs. Perry says there will be some screening to make sure the cars are purchased by consumers who can provide meaningful data.

"We don't want these first cars going to somebody who commutes 150 miles a day or who lives a great distance from a recharging station," he says.

Nissan has said the Leaf will be affordable, but it has not revealed the price.

DOE money

The catalyst behind the early startup is a $99.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to Electric Transportation Engineering Corp., a Phoenix technology supplier. That firm must install 12,500 recharging stations in Nissan's first five markets: the Phoenix-Tucson corridor of Arizona; Oregon; San Diego; Seattle and Tennessee.

Matching funds are being provided by the cities and states, for a total investment of $199.6 million.

The recharging data will be turned over to the Department of Energy, which required Nissan to have 1,000 vehicles on the road in everyday use to make the data valid.

Nissan originally said it would launch electric-vehicle fleet sales in the United States in 2010 and start retail sales through its dealerships in 2012. But Perry has maintained that retail sales could start earlier than 2012 if individual markets and dealers were ready.

Perry says Nissan still intends to launch U.S. fleet sales of the electric car next year. Those sales will be in addition to the 5,000 cars participating in the data collection.

Source: Autoweek

EV's computer combats will-I-make-it anxiety

Nissan Motor Co.'s new electric vehicle comes with a computer system aimed at allaying drivers' fears that they will be stranded midtrip by dead batteries.

The system taps navigation maps, cell phones and a 24-hour global data center to keep drivers apprised of how much farther they can drive.

"One of the fears of customers is what happens when you run out of electricity," Nissan r&d chief Mitsuhiko Yamashita said last week at Nissan's Oppama technical center before the car's Aug. 2 unveiling. "This charging support gives drivers a secure feeling and will help EVs become more widely accepted."

The navigation system shows a map with the driving radius of one-way and round trips possible given the car's current charge.

It can calculate whether the vehicle is within range of a preset destination. The car also tracks all charging stations within range in case its lithium ion batteries need more juice.

All of this will be updated continuously through a real-time connection to a global data center that will operate around the clock. The car uses mobile phones to connect the information technology system to the Internet. Mobile phones also will be used to communicate with the car when it isn't moving.

Customers can use the phones to check the status of their batteries while they wait for a recharge.

Drivers also can dial in before starting their drive to remotely start the car's air conditioner and thereby extend battery life. That sounds counterintuitive, but here's why it makes sense: When people get into a hot car, they typically turn the air conditioner on full blast in an energy-intensive attempt to cool off. But starting the air conditioner in advance at a weaker setting before getting in helps conserve the battery's charge.

Nissan plans to make the cars at its Smyrna, Tenn., plant and in Japan and Europe. The Tennessee factory will have capacity for 150,000 vehicles a year. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2012. Nissan aims to sell three electric models by 2013.

Source: Automotive News via CNET Reviews

Toyota reports battery bottleneck is preventing desired production Prius hybrid

A battery bottleneck is hurting efforts to boost output of the Prius to meet booming demand for the hybrid, and the problem will likely persist into next year, according to a senior Toyota official.

"The new Prius model has been excessively popular, inconveniencing some of our customers, and the factories are working overtime at full capacity," Takahiko Ijichi, Toyota senior managing director, said Tuesday at the company's quarterly earnings announcement.

"Unfortunately, the batteries are not catching up with demand. Production of the batteries needs to be increased in order for our production to go up."

Toyota has an annual Prius capacity of 500,000 cars. Panasonic EV Energy Co., which makes the nickel-metal hydride batteries for the gasoline-electric hybrid car, can't churn out more than that right now, Ijichi said.

The third-generation Prius hybrid is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy year for the world's biggest automaker. The car is facing months-long waiting lists at dealerships and is easily outselling Honda's rival Insight hybrid in Europe and the United States.

The success of the Prius in Japan is one reason Toyota says it will post its first domestic sales increase in five years.

"The new Prius model is selling quite well," Ijichi said.

Profitable Prius

Last summer, Toyota said it would build the Prius at its Tupelo, Mississippi, factory in late 2010, scrubbing a plan to make the next-generation Highlander crossover there. But amid record losses, Toyota put the plant's opening on indefinite hold.

Ijichi said Toyota won't invest to expand Prius production until it is assured of an adequate battery supply.

Battery production will increase - but gradually. Panasonic EV Energy plans to boost capacity in stages to about 1 million batteries by the summer of 2010, Ijichi said.

Despite cutthroat pricing to compete with the Insight, the Prius still enjoys healthy margins, Ijichi said. That's because production costs fell 30 percent from the previous generation of the hybrid.

Said Ijichi: "In terms of the Toyota lineup, I'd say it's probably in the mid-level of profit."

Source: Green Car Advisor

Mitsubish i-Miev: Available in Europe from 2010 for €34,000

Mitsubishi i-Miev will be available in UK from 2010 with prices starting from approximately €34,000. i-Miev is expected to be available in main European markets around 2012.

The price is expected to be lowered at around €15,000 by 2012 as the production will be increased to 30,000 cars/year.

Source: autoblog.it

Nissan unveils "Leaf" - World's first electric car designed for affordability and real-world requirements (日産自動車、手頃な価格とニーズを満たす電気自動車「リーフ」を公表)

YOKOHAMA, (Aug. 2, 2009) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled Nissan LEAF, the world's first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real-world consumer requirements.

NISSAN LEAF
Slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe, Nissan LEAF ushers in a new era of mobility - the zero-emission era. The car is the embodiment of Nissan's radical, transformative vision for the future and the culmination of decades of investment and research.

"Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment - one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. "We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality - the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero - not simply reduced - emissions. It's the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey - for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry."

Key characteristics of the LEAF include:

1) Zero-emission power train and platform
2) Affordable pricing
3) Distinctive design
4) Real-world range autonomy - 160km (100 miles)
5) Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

The "LEAF" name is a significant statement about the car itself. Just as leaves purify the air in nature, so Nissan LEAF purifies mobility by taking emissions out of the driving experience. Pricing details will be announced closer to start of sales in late 2010; however, the company expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle. Additionally, Nissan LEAF is expected to qualify for an array of significant local, regional and national tax breaks and incentives in markets around the world. As an added benefit, because the vehicle has less mechanical complexity than a traditional gasoline-powered car, Nissan LEAF is designed to be friendly to the wallet as well as to the environment.

ZERO-EMISSION MOBILITY
Nissan LEAF is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate power output of over 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. This ensures a highly responsive, fun-to-drive experience that is in keeping with what consumers have come to expect from traditional, gasoline-powered automobiles.

Unlike internal-combustion engine (ICE) equipped vehicles, Nissan LEAF's power train has no tail pipe, and thus no emission of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. A combination of Nissan LEAF's regenerative braking system and innovative lithium-ion battery packs enables the car to deliver a driving range of more than 160km (100 miles) on one full charge*. (*US LA4 mode)

Extensive consumer research demonstrates that this range satisfies the daily driving requirements of more than 70% of the world's consumers who drive cars.

And, Nissan's approach makes charging easy and convenient. Nissan LEAF can be charged up to 80% of its full capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger. Charging at home through a 200V outlet is estimated to take approximately eight hours - ample time to enable an overnight refresh for consumer and car alike.

REAL-WORLD CAR
The engineers and designers behind Nissan LEAF worked to create a competitively priced real-world car that would enable Nissan to lead mobility into the zero-emission era. To ensure comfort, spaciousness and cargo capacity, Nissan LEAF employs a completely new chassis and body layout.

"Our car had to be the world's first, medium-size, practical EV that motorists could afford and would want to use every day. And that's what we've created. The styling will identify not only Nissan LEAF but also the owner as a participant in the new era of zero-emission mobility," said Masato INOUE, Product Chief Designer.

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN
Even the smallest details can yield tremendous effect.

Nissan LEAF's frontal styling is characterized by a sharp, upright V-shaped design featuring long, up-slanting light-emitting diode (LED) headlights that employ a blue internal reflective design that announces, "This car is special." But the headlights do more than make a statement. They are also designed to cleverly split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, thus reducing wind noise and drag. And, the headlights provide yet one more benefit in that they consume about 50 percent of the electricity of conventional lamps, which helps Nissan LEAF to achieve its world-class range autonomy.

Through bright trim colors inside, Nissan LEAF creates a pleasing and stylish cabin environment. An environmentally friendly "blue earth" color theme originates from the Aqua Globe body color of Nissan LEAF's introductory model. This theme is carried into the interior through blue dashboard highlights and instrument illumination.

CONNECTED MOBILITY IT SYSTEM
Nissan LEAF employs an exclusive advanced IT system. Connected to a global data center, the system can provide support, information, and entertainment for drivers 24 hours a day.

The dash-mounted monitor displays Nissan LEAF's remaining power - or "reachable area" - in addition to showing a selection of nearby charging stations.

Another state-of-the-art feature is the ability to use mobile phones to turn on air-conditioning and set charging functions - even when Nissan LEAF is powered down. An on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries.

"The IT system is a critical advantage," says Tooru ABE, Chief Product Specialist. "We wanted this vehicle to be a partner for the driver and an enhancement for the passengers. We also wanted this vehicle to help create a zero-emission community, and these IT features will help make that possible."

HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ZERO-EMISSION MOBILITY AND ECO-FRIENDLY INNOVATION
Nissan LEAF is a critical first step in establishing the era of zero-emission mobility; however, Nissan recognizes that internal-combustion engine (ICE) technologies will play a vital role in global transportation for decades to come. Because of this, Nissan is implementing its zero-emission vision through a holistic approach, which provides consumers a comprehensive range of eco-friendly technologies from which to choose.

For some consumers, Nissan LEAF will be the perfect match, and the only car they will ever need. For others, Nissan LEAF will be a logical addition to the family fleet - the optimal choice for the daily commute, for example.

While zero-emission is the ultimate goal, the company is committed to ongoing innovation in eco-friendly technologies that increase efficiency and reduce emissions. As a result, Nissan offers a comprehensive suite of automotive technologies, including CVT, Idle Stop, HEV, Clean Diesel, and ongoing research and investment in FCV technology.

WORLDWIDE PARTNERS
Zero-emission mobility programs under the banner of the Renault-Nissan Alliance include partnerships with countries such as the UK and Portugal, local governments in the Japan and the USA, and other sectors, for a total of nearly 30 partnerships worldwide.

In these partnerships major efforts focus on three areas:

1) Development of a comprehensive charging infrastructure through public and private investment,
2) Incentives and subsidies from local, regional, and national governments, and
3) Public education on the individual and societal benefits of zero-emissions mobility.

ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE PRODUCTION
Nissan LEAF is the first in the company's forthcoming line of EVs and is a major milestone in the realization of the Renault-Nissan Alliance's vision for zero-emission mobility. The first of Nissan's EV's will be manufactured at Oppama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for Smyrna, Tennessee, USA. Meanwhile, lithium-ion batteries are being produced in Zama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for the USA, the UK and Portugal, and other sites for investment are under study around the world.

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Text in Japanese

日産自動車株式会社（本社：東京都中央区銀座　社長：カルロス・ゴーン）は2日、横浜に完成したグローバル本社ビルのオープニングに合わせて、ゼロ・エ ミッション車「リーフ」をマスコミに初披露した。「リーフ」はリチウムイオンバッテリーを搭載した量産電気自動車（EV）として専用に設計・デザインされ たモデルであり、大人5人が乗ってもゆとりある空間と、お客さまのニーズを満たす160km（100マイル）以上の航続距離を実現している。

日産「リーフ」
「モビリティの新しい時代、ゼロ・エミッションの時代」をメッセージとして掲げる新開発の「リーフ」は、2010年度後半に北米、日本のみならず、欧州で も発売される。「リーフ」は、日産の将来に向けた画期的で革新的なビジョンと、何十年にも亘る投資と研究の集大成である。

社 長のカルロス ゴーンは、「日産『リーフ』は、全ての日産の従業員が誇りを感じて良いほど、非常に素晴らしい出来となった。私たちは、エミッションが少ないのではなく、 エミッションがゼロとなるクルマを公開するこの日を実現するために懸命に取り組んできた。これは世界中の人々が間違いなくエキサイティングに感じる新しい 時代に向けた最初の一歩である。」と、述べた。

「リーフ」の特徴は以下の5つである。

• ゼロ・エミッションなパワートレインとプラットフォーム
• お求めやすい価格
• EVとしての独自デザイン
• 日常の使用に十分な航続距離 - 160km（100マイル）
• ITシステムによるアシスト（ゼロ・エミッションEV専用ITシステムを搭載）

「リーフ」という車名は、このクルマを表す顕著なネーミングであり、自然界において葉が大気を浄化するように、日産リーフが走行時の排出ガスをなくすことを意味する。

「リー フ」の価格は2010年末に発表する予定であるが、Ｃセグメントの車両と同等の競争力を持たせることを標榜している。また、「リーフ」は、世界中の政府お よび地方自治体等の減税措置や補助金の対象となることが見込まれる。さらに、「リーフ」は、従来のガソリン車と比較して経済性と環境に配慮したクルマと なっている。

1） ゼロ・エミッション
従来の内燃エンジン（ICE）と異なり、「リーフ」は90kW超の出力を発生するラミネート型コンパクトリチウムイオンバッテリーと80kW/280Nm を発揮する電気モーターを搭載する。これにより、従来のガソリン車と同等の高いレスポンスと運転の楽しさを味わうことができる。

またICE車と違い、このEVのパワートレインは、走行中にCO2やその他排出ガスを一切出さない。この革新的な新型リチウムイオンバッテリーと協調回生ブレーキシステムの搭載により、リーフは１回のフル充電で160km（100マイル）以上の航続距離を可能としている*。（*US LA4モード）

お客さまを対象とした広範なリサーチでは、世界中のドライバーの70％以上の日常の運転距離は、この160kmという航続距離の範囲内であるという結果が出ている。

日 産は、簡単で便利な充電方法にも取り組んでいる。「リーフ」は、急速充電器を使えば、30分以内で電池容量0％から80％までの充電が可能となる。また、 家庭での充電時間は200Vの普通充電で電池容量0％から満充電まで約8時間となり、ひと晩の充電でまかなうことができる。

2）お求めやすい価格で毎日使えるグローバルリアルカー
ゼ ロ・エミッション車でグローバルリーダーとなることを目指し、日産の商品企画、エンジニア、デザイナーはお求めやすい価格のリアル・ワールドカーを創るこ とに専心した。「リーフ」は、快適性と居住性、広い荷室を確保するため、全く新しいシャシーと車体レイアウトを採用している。

デザ インを担当したプロダクト・チーフ・デザイナー（PCD）の井上真人は「『リーフ』は、世界初の、手頃な価格で毎日使いたくなるような実用的な中型のEV とする必要があった。そして私たちはそのようなクルマを創り出した。このクルマのスタイリングは、一目で「リーフ」であると分かるだけではなく、そのオー ナーをゼロ・エミッションモビリティの新時代の一員としてみなす役割を果たすだろう。」と語った。

3）EVとしての独自デザイン
どんなに小さな要素でさえも大きな効果を生む。

「リーフ」は、そのデザインコンセプトを「スマート・フルディティ（賢い流動体）」とし、クリーンなイメージと、知性を感じるデザインに、最高の空力と風 音性能を実現するボディと、革新的で独創的な5人乗り5ドアハッチバックのパッケージングを実現した。コンパクトな新型リチウムイオンバッテリーをフロア 下に配置することにより、後部席のレッグルームとヘッドルームにも余裕が生まれ、快適なスペースを空力性能とともに確保している。

エ クステリアは、V字型の特徴的な低いフロント・エンドに、大型LED式ヘッドランプを配し、ひと目で日産のEVとわかる個性的で上品なスタイリングとして いる。ボディから突き出た独特のヘッドランプは気流を分散してドアミラーを避け、風切り音と空気抵抗を低減する効果を生みだしている。印象的に青く光る内 蔵反射型デザインを採用したヘッドランプが消費する電力は、従来のヘッドランプの約50％であり、航続距離に与える影響を最小限に抑えている。

「リー フ」のインテリアのトリムに使われている明るいカラーにより、楽しくスタイリッシュな室内空間が実現している。インテリアカラーは、環境への配慮を印象づ ける、「リーフ」のボディカラーである「アクアグローブ」を基にした「ブルーアース」を使用している。また、ブルーをEVのアイコンカラーとしてダッシュ ボードのアクセントや計器類のイルミネーションにも採用している。

4）ITシステムによるアシスト
「リーフ」はゼロ・エミッション車専用の高度なITシステムを採用している。グローバルデータセンターに24時間接続可能なこのシステムが運転者をサポートする。

センターコンソールに搭載されたモニターには、エネルギー残量に応じた到達可能エリアや充電ステーション位置が表示される。

エアコンと充電機能は、スイッチを切った状態で携帯電話を使って遠隔操作することが可能であり、リモートコントロール・タイマーによって、予めバッテリーの充電開始時間を設定しておくこともできる。

「リー フ」の商品企画を担当したチーフ・プロダクト・スペシャリスト（CPS）の阿部徹は、「このクルマに搭載したITシステムは、運転者や同乗者にとってパー トナーのような存在であって欲しいと思っている。」と語った。これらの新しいITシステムの機能が、便利なモビリティの新しいスタイルを提供することを可 能にしている。

ゼロ・エミッションモビリティに向けた総体的なアプローチおよび環境に配慮した技術の開発
「リーフ」は、ゼロ・エミッションモビリティの時代を確立していく上で、極めて重要な最初の一歩となる。日産は、一方で内燃機関（ＩＣＥ）技術は今後数十 年間の移動手段においてグローバルに必要不可欠な役割を担うと認識している。それゆえ、日産はゼロ・エミッションのビジョンを総体的なアプローチで捉え、 環境に配慮した様々な技術を選択肢として幅広くお客さまに提供している。

日産の「リーフ」は理想的なクルマであり、もう「リーフ」しか必要ではないと考えるお客さまもいれば、「リーフ」は、家族の足として買い足すにはふさわしいクルマであり、例えば、毎日の通勤には最適だと考えるお客さまも想定される。

最 終的なゴールはゼロ・エミッションであるが、日産は、燃費を向上させ排出ガスを削減する環境に配慮した技術の開発に引き続き取り組んでいる。その結果とし て、CVT、アイドルストップ、HEV、クリーンディーゼルなど幅広い自動車関連技術を提供し、また、FCV技術への投資・研究にも取り組んでいる。

ゼロ・エミッションモビリティのグローバルパートナーシップ
ルノー・日産アライアンスにおけるゼロ・エミッションモビリティプロジェクトでは、英国やポルトガルなどの各国政府、また、日本および米国での地方自治体、それ以外にも他セクター等、グローバルでおよそ30のパートナーシップを締結している。

これらパートナーシップにおける主な取り組みは以下の通り。

1. 官民からの投資による広範な充電インフラの開発
2. 各国政府、地方自治体からの優遇措置および補助金の提供
3. 個人の利益び社会的利益に資するためのゼロ・エミッションモビリティに関する啓蒙・教育活動

ゼロ・エミッション車の生産工場
「リーフ」は、今後発表される日産のＥＶラインアップの最初のモデルであり、ルノー・日産アライアンスのゼロ・エミッションモビリティというビジョンの実 現において重要なマイルストーンとなる。「リーフ」はまず、追浜工場で生産される他、米国テネシー州にあるスマーナ工場での生産も計画されている。一方 で、リチウムイオンバッテリーは座間で生産開始予定であり、それ以外にも米国、英国、ポルトガルでの生産も予定されている。また、その他にも世界中で生産 施設の候補地の検討がされている。

日 産は、「青い地球を守りたい」「人や社会と共生する企業市民でありたい」という想いを「ブルーシチズンシップ」という言葉で表し、さまざまな取り組みを 行っている。それは、地球環境保護、地域社会への貢献、ダイバーシティ（多様性）の推進、そしてより多くの人びとにクルマで移動する喜びを提供することな ど、極めて多岐にわたる。このブルーシチズンシップの考え方に基づき、EV開発の取り組みを引き続き推進するとともに、真に実効性のある技術、商品、サー ビスを開発し、市場に投入していく。日産は、今後も提携パートナーであるルノー社と共同でゼロ・エミッション・モビリティに向けて主導的役割を果たしてい く。

日産ゼロ・エミッションサイト：
http://www.nissan-zeroemission.com/JP/

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Source: Nissan