Nissan Banks on New Transmission to Compete in Hybrid Auto Market
By Dave Porter
Reno, NV - Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn thinks that consumers
shouldn't have to pay high prices for hybrid vehicles only to
not get any value back in lowering their costs once they buy one.
Instead, Goshn's banking on CTVs, which stands for "Continuously
variable transmissions."
Ghosn thinks being green shouldn't be a compromise.
CVT proponents, such as Ghosn, cite improved fuel efficiency, better
acceleration and increased control over emissions as key benefits.
Nissan is so secure that new-car buyers will see the CVT as a way
to go green that it's planning on increasing the number of its
vehicles fitted with CVTs.
"We are confident that consumers will embrace CVTs as a widely
available, affordable solution to high fuel costs and the demand
for greater fuel efficiency," says Ghosn.
"By fiscal year 2007, we plan to sell around one million CVT-fitted
models worldwide. In North America, all of our
front-engine/front-wheel-drive vehicles - except Quest
and some Versa models - will come with CVTs, including
100 percent of Sentras, Maximas, Altimas and Muranos sold
with automatic transmissions. We estimate that selling one
million CVTs would have the same effect in terms of
reducing CO2 emissions as selling 200,000 hybrid electric
vehicles."
You see, Nissan currently doesn't have a hybrid vehicle to sell.
In fact, Ghosn has been reluctant to jump on the bandwagon.
Nissan will launch a gasoline-electric hybrid version of
the new Altima this fall -- admittedly begrudgingly.
Also keep in mind that Nissan isn't exclusive in the CVT game.
Audi, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Saturn and Toyota all
offer models with this new type of transmission. Nissan just
seems to be the carmaker at the moment that's pimping them
as green machines.
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