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Tesla, GM and Nissan will fight to maintain EV tax credits together
Tesla, GM and Nissan have teamed up on a new lobbying initiative to extend the $7,500 per vehicle tax credit for EVs. The "EV Drive Coalition" -- which also counts industry giant ABB and non-profit Plug In America as its members -- launched on Tuesday to spur lawmakers into passing reformative legislation that "works better for more consumers for a longer time frame."
Infiniti 'dual-hybrid' concept car gathers heat to boost performance
Most hybrid cars are meant to save fuel and the planet. You can't say that about Infiniti's just-unveiled Project Black S concept, however -- here, it's all about speed. It's built on the design of the Q60 Red Sport 400, but contains a Formula 1-derived "dual hybrid" system that can recuperate electricity when the car is braking and accelerating. There's one motor generator unit that captures energy from the brakes. The real stars, though, are two motor generator units on the V6 engine that collect heat from the twin turbos, translating it into either reduced turbo lag (by spinning the turbines faster than they would on their own) or as much as 120kW of power for the drivetrain.
The ESA teamed with Nissan to build an off-road astronomy lab
Nissan unveiled its Navara Dark Sky concept vehicle at the Hannover Motor Show this week, and it's a vehicle designed for astronomers. The truck is an enhanced version of the automaker's Navara vehicle and along with including some handy new features, it also has a trailer in tow that carries a powerful PlaneWave telescope. Designed with the European Space Agency, the trailer not only houses the telescope but has a number of features that protect the telescope and help researchers collect and transmit data.
Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi tap Google to power in-car systems
This week, the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance, the world's largest maker of cars, signed a deal with Alphabet's Google to be able to use Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Android OS in its vehicles. The new systems will debut starting in 2021.
Nissans will remind you to check the back seat before walking away
Smart cars don't just mean built-in Google Maps or radar-assisted cruise control. Nissan, for instance, is making a different kind of safety feature standard equipment: a sensor that reminds you to check the back seat for any errant loved ones. The feature was inspired by a pair of engineers, and the resulting days-long stench of garlic and cheese after one left a plate of lasagna in the car overnight. Those engineers, Elsa Foley and Marlene Mendoza, hold the patent for Rear Door Assist.
Nissan's Leaf E-Plus may offer more range and extra power in 2019
Nissan's 2018 Leaf model upped the ante with a ProPilot Assist system and 150-mile travel range on full battery. That was a solid improvement compared to the original Leaf's 107 miles, and positioned it somewhere between the Hyundai Iconiq EV and Tesla's Model 3. Still, it left many hungry for a vehicle that could offer a longer range. Now, the best-selling EV maker has confirmed its 2019 model will boost mileage and battery power.
Senators investigate safety procedures for autonomous cars
Just a day after the NTSB released its preliminary findings on the Uber crash in Arizona, senators Edward J. Markey and Richard Blumenthal began an investigation into safety protocols for driverless car testing. In a letter sent to major auto manufacturers involved in autonomous driving systems, the senators asked several specific questions to find out what kind of procedures the companies have to ensure the safety of others during testing.
Nissan follows Tesla with an all-in-one solar storage package
After making strides in the electric car market, Nissan has set its sights on the home. The company recently debuted its redesigned Leaf electric car and continues to push its xStorage battery, but now it wants to combine its two great loves under one roof. That's what the Nissan Energy Solar scheme -- the company's complete home energy solution -- is all about.
French Renault Zoe owners can finally buy their batteries
Renault's all-electric Zoe has been very well-received in its home country of France, but the company's controversial battery-leasing scheme in the country has undoubtedly given potential buyers pause for thought. Either own the car and pay a monthly fee, or lease the whole car. The idea that Renault could snatch your battery away if you broke contract somehow didn't instil a huge amount of confidence. Yet the Zoe still became the most popular all-electric vehicle in France, and today the company has revealed that buyers will now have the option of owning the battery pack outright.
Nissan is using recycled Leaf batteries to power street lights
Nissan is using old Leaf batteries in a very meta way: To power streetlights that will make roads safer for vehicles and pedestrians. Called "The Light Reborn," it uses a solar panel that charges up a battery, which can then power the LED at night with no external connection required. Nissan is testing the product today in Namie, Japan -- a city that was abandoned after the Fukushima nuclear disaster -- and plans to do a full-scale installation in the town later this year.
Nissan's electric SUV concept will enter production
Nissan's current electric car lineup revolves almost exclusively around the Leaf, but it's ready to diversify its selection. The company's European design chief Mamoru Aoki has revealed to Autocar that a production version of the IMx concept SUV (above) will arrive sometime in "a few years." It's not certain how much the crossover EV would change, but it's reasonable to presume that Nissan would want to keep the IMx's performance. The concept promised 435HP and a 380-mile range, giving Tesla's Model X a run for its money in some cases.
Nissan’s debut Formula E design is inspired by the Doppler effect
It's hard to believe that Nissan, which sold more EVs last year than Tesla and every other automaker, has yet to race in Formula E. However, Nissan announced late last year that it would become the first Japanese automaker to join the electric-racing circuit for the 2018-19 season. Now, at the Geneva Motor Show, it has unveiled its season 5 Formula E car with a striking "Doppler-effect" color scheme and all-new powertrain package.
Nissan's self-driving taxi is ready for passengers
Nissan will start testing its self-driving taxi service Easy Ride in a few days in hopes of launching it in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The automaker and Tokyo-based mobile developer DeNA will begin ferrying passengers in Yokohama on March 5th. Nissan's autonomous cars will only be able to drive them along a set route, a 2.8-mile-long stretch of road between Nissan's HQ and the Yokohama World Porters shopping center. But they'll at least be able to give the Easy Ride app's features a try during their trip.
UK group planning complex 200-mile autonomous car trial
As the UK attempts to position itself at the forefront of autonomous driving, the government -- with help from startups and universities -- has embarked on a number of trials in order to rack up the necessary miles on the road. This normally involves putting a self-driving through the small patches of the best and worst British highways have to have offer, providing car makers with the data they need to manufacture a safe autonomous vehicle and pave the way for updated laws and regulations in order to govern them.
Nissan: Leaf EV pre-orders are over 13,000
Over the last week or so we've seen some wild concepts from Nissan at CES (IMx) and NAIAS (Xmotion), but as usual, its Leaf EV is quietly a story as well. The revamped electric vehicle is weeks away from going on sale, and the company tells Engadget that there are already 13,000 pre-orders. With a newly-extended range capable of 150 miles on a charge, its price starts at less than $30k (before any tax credit) for the base model and buyers can actually expect to receive one in 2018.
Nissan's Xmotion concept swaps key fobs for fingerprints
Infiniti's eye toward the future has manifested itself with the Xmotion (pronounced "Crossmotion;" it's a crossover SUV). The suicide-door clad ride boasts hand and eye motion and gesture sensors for the generous door-to-door digital dashboard, climate controls and infotainment system. The latter is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple's Car Play setups, as well as surround sound for the 4+2 seating arrangement. In the stage demo, the display showed off swimming koi and driving information. The fish are actually a virtual assistant, and you can see them in action below.
Nissan shares its vision for our autonomous EV future at CES
Not surprisingly, autonomy and electrification dominated transportation news at CES 2018. Toyota introduced its e-Palette concept mobility solution (which proceeded to dominate Engadget's Best of CES awards), while Silicon Valley startup Robomart unveiled plans to bring produce shopping to your front door. Automakers also announced a slew of upcoming self-driving technologies, ranging from Alexa integration and automated emergency brakes to Level 5 personal transport pods that do away with the steering wheel altogether.
Nissan's future cars could read your mind
Most automakers are figuring out how to take the "driver" out of driving, but Nissan is using tech to make it more fun. It's researching what it calls "brain-to-vehicle" (B2V) tech that can read your brainwaves and figure out what you're going to do next. After the driver puts on a skullcap device that can measure brain activity, an AI system can then predict if you're going to turn or brake, and initiate the action 0.2 to 0.5 seconds before you react.
The 2018 Nissan Leaf gets a semi-autonomous upgrade
The Nissan Leaf is the top-selling electric vehicle in the world. Sure, Tesla and Chevy get all the hype with the Bolt and Model 3, but with more than 290,000 cars sold, Nissan's little electric car is the one people are buying. After seven years without a design refresh, the automaker dropped a new and improved model to continue to dominate the EV world. Although, that task will be a lot tougher thanks to increased competition.
Honda and Toyota are still backing hydrogen fuel-cell cars
Toyota, Honda and Nissan are partnering with eight industrial firms to make a fresh push on hydrogen refuelling stations in Japan. The group wants to build 80 stations within the first four years of the partnership -- which is expected to last a decade -- with nine in operation by March 2018. The plan would nearly double the 91 stations currently in the country.