At Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan Sets Plan in Motion to Be Number One in Next-Generation Vehicles

“Mobility can change the world” is the theme of the first auto show to be held in Tokyo since 1987. The 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011 will open to the trade on November 30 and is expected to exclusively showcase 53 car models that have not been seen before, in Asia or globally.  Among them will be a new EV from the Nissan Group, which has announced its determination to become number-one in zero-emissions car manufacturing worldwide by 2016.

In an effort to create heightened awareness of the many next-generation vehicle solutions available now, a Smart Mobility City exhibit will highlight advances in technology. Visitors will be able to jump into the passenger seat for a ride on auto pilot in cars made by Suzuki, Subaru, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi (News - Alert), Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz.

One of the vehicles that is expected to create a stir is the Nissan PIV03, which is rolling out as part of the automaker’s Green Program 2016 initiative. The concept of the electric vehicle (EV) harmonizes well with the Smart Mobility City exhibit theme: In parking lots where an automatic valet system is available, the driver can simply leave the car to park and recharge itself. With all four wheels functioning as rudders, the car can make a U-turn on a street that is only four meters (13 feet) wide. 

According to Nissan, its Green Program will focus on three efforts—reduction of carbon footprint, shift to renewable energy, and an increase in the diversity of resources used by the automaker.  Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn stated, "More consumers are demanding products in line with their values, including cars and trucks with a lower carbon footprint. At the same time, we are using technology to make our factories greener and more efficient. Nissan wants to be part of the solution toward a sustainable society —for the sake of the planet and as a significant competitive advantage and a strategic differentiator in the global manufacturing sector."

With its best-selling LEAF, Nissan Group has become the first automaker to put more than 20,000 pure battery-electric cars on U.S. highways. By the end of 2012, 50,000 will be delivered globally.

But Nissan intends 2016 to be its biggest year yet in the EV category. That’s when Nissan’s program calls for a total of 1.5 million in zero-emission vehicle sales, along with partnerRenault. To achieve this goal, Nissan’s Green Program 2016 calls for the company to:

• Introduce four EVs, including the LEAF,
• Roll out a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV),
• Take global leadership in supplying batteries for electric-drive, and
• Looking at the macro future of the industry, create a zero-emission society, using EVs and their derivative technologies with partners—that is,
  • Develop an EV charge and discharge system, as well as an information network, and   
  • Demonstrate a smart house/ community/ grid, starting from Yokohama City.

In addition to establishing the company as number one in the zero-emission category, Nissan intends to achieve a 35 percent fuel economy improvement, as well as a 20 percent reduction in per-vehicle carbon emissions—compared with 2005 on a corporate average for all Nissan vehicles sold in Japan, China, Europe, and the United States.

In recent times, the Tokyo Motor Show has been held in Makuhari Messe complex in Chiba, which is in the Greater Tokyo Area. The organizers decided to change the venue in order to attract more vendors and visitors. An estimated 800,000 visitors are expected to attend the exhibition, which will be open to the public from Friday, December 2, through Sunday, December 11.