Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that the Japanese government’s effort to keep the yen’s value under control had failed and that Nissan was strongly considering moving production out of Japan and into foreign countries.

A weakened United States dollar has meant that the value of the greenback has shifted from 91 yen per dollar to 76 yen per dollar over the past two years. This unfavorable exchange range has led Nissan to examine other countries for vehicle production. ”We have to make investment decisions all the time,” Ghosn told Reuters. “This is one of the factors that we have to consider when we look at a project and say are we going to do it in Japan or are we going to do it in another country?”

Despite this, Ghosn said that he felt vehicle sales would rise in 2012 even in the face of another possible economic downturn. Ghosn also announced a new electric vehicle to be built in China for the Chinese market.

[Source: CNBC]

Nissan’s CEO, Carlos Ghosn reported back in late July that ”with more than 10,100 electric Nissan Leaf vehicles already sold worldwide” the Japanese automaker is “clearly the global leader in zero emission mobility” but, these numbers were never verified.

However, it has now been confirmed that Nissan has officially topped the 10,000-unit milestone globally. Nissan spokeswoman Katherine Zachary said the sales of the Leaf, “crossed the 10,000 mark a couple weeks ago.” The exact number is not known due to the Nissan’s “summer holiday” shutdown in Japan.

The Nissan Leaf will retail for $35,200 in the SV trim and $37,250 for the SL trim. The annual cost of running the Leaf on electric power is expected to cost as little as just $561. Furthermore, the Leaf returns a very impressive 99-mpg on average. That means the electric car returns 106-mpg city and 92-mpg listing for highway driving.

[Source: Autoblog Green]

Infiniti may develop its own version of Nissan’s famous GT-R sports car. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Nissan was asked if Infiniti would tap into the existing products through Nissan and use the brilliant GT-R sports car platform for a high- performance Infiniti.

‘Are we going to do that, I would say “no”, I don’t think so,’ said Ghosn. ‘If your question is “could we do that”, I would say “yes”. The idea of using existing technologies on the body of an Infiniti, yes. All the technologies developed for Nissan are available to Infiniti.’ Ghosn basically beat around the bush leaving the question unanswered. A GT-R type sports car is unlikely to be a priority because the company is busy prepping for the 2014 release of a small car that will rival the BMW 1-series and the 2013 release of an electric car.

‘Will we do it?,’ added Ghosn. ‘I think we need to go step by step. We have positioned the FX, the M, the G. Then we have the QX in the US, which is a big success over there – it’s a high-end 4×4. We have the EX. We have the electric car, we have a sub-G smaller car coming and we have a lot of people saying “why don’t we use the power of the GT-R and give it an Infiniti body?”

‘The idea makes sense. The technology is here, the platform is here. It’s a great car, the GT-R. Is it a project now? No. But I don’t want to give you the impression we’ll never do that. But I don’t want you to think that it’s coming in the next two to three years either.’

[Source: Car]

Nissan has emerged from the global economic downturn as a powerhouse, quietly growing but without grabbing headlines like Ford or Hyundai have. Now the Japanese automaker has unveiled a new business plan titled “Nissan Power 88″ that aims to grow its share of the global market to 8 percent, while bringing operating profit to a sustainable 8 percent.

The strategy is a global one and includes growth in all markets. How exactly Nissan aims to do this is has been laid out, in brief, in a statement released by the automaker. First, and perhaps most impressive, is news that Nissan will launch one all-new model every six weeks, starting immediately and for the next six years. In total, Nissan aims to offer a global portfolio of 66 vehicles, competing in 92 percent of all markets and market segments.

In addition, Nissan will grow its electric vehicle size, with planned sales of EVs from the combined Renault-Nissan Alliance to hit 1.5 million units by 2016. With new green car innovations will come technological advancements of all sorts, with a planned 90 new innovations over the next six years.

The commercial vehicle arm of Nissan will also grow in significance and the automaker claims it will be the, “world’s leading light commercial vehicle manufacturer” by 2016.

To help support all this growth Nissan is planning to expand its retail sales network from a current level of 6,000 points of sale, to 7,500 in the mid-term of its Power 88 plan.

And of course, what business plan would be complete without projected strong sales in emerging markets like China, where Nissan aims for a 10 percent market share. In addition, Brazil will get a new plant, while Nissan plans further expansion in India and Russia.

As for the Infiniti luxury division, it is projected to grow by more than triple, from the current 150,000 units annually to over 500,000. Along with strong branding support with its current Formula One tie-in, plans include a growth of products, with dealerships to offer at least 10 different models by the end of 2016.

“Nissan Power 88 is the roadmap for our company’s profitable growth,” said Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn. “We will accelerate our growth, bringing more innovation and excitement to our products and services as well as cleaner, more affordable cars for everyone around the world, in line with the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century.”

CEO Carlos Ghosn has set a lofty goal for Nissan: capture 10% of the total American car market in the next 4 years.

Right now in the first five months, Nissan and Infiniti have sold 8.2% of all cars in America, or about 433,032 vehicles. Nissan aims to sell over 1 million vehicles in the US by the end of this year.

The sales target comes as part of Nissan’s six-year global plan to increase sales, with volume cars such as the new Versa. Ghosn didn’t mention specifics other than some impressive numbers and a deadline, but hey, that’s how Kennedy got us to the moon.

[Source: Left Lane News]

As part of its drive to focus on sustainable technologies and new ideas, the Renault-Nissan Alliance is opening a research office, across the road from Google HQ in Silicon Valley, California.

In an official press release, the Renault-Nissan Alliance stated that the office will “build staff organically, to focus on specific projects and business developments as they emerge.”

The office is part of the automaker’s $5.4 billion commitment to sustainable transportation and will play an integral role in vehicle Information Technology research, including graphic user interface displays, in-car connectivity features already employed on the Nissan LEAF EV (shown above) as well as Smart Grid R&D.

Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, during a speech at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), said that “the [Renault-Nissan] Alliance is at the vanguard of the auto industry’s shift to sustainable transportation. Having a greater footprint in one of the world’s headquarters for clean tech research will extend our lead further.”

Nissan and Renault are planning to officially combine into one automaker, solidifying a partnership between the Japanese and French companies that has existed since 1999. Or at least, they were planning to do so according to a report by Japan’s Nikkei, that quoted company CEO Carlos Ghosn. Today, however, both automakers are refuting that claim.

A statement released jointly by the two automakers claims that the Nikkei article was, “a misinterpretation of a wide-ranging interview in which Mr. Ghosn said that the corporate structure of the Renault-Nissan Alliance would remain dynamic,” and that “There are no plans to create a holding company, and in fact Mr. Ghosn did not say that Renault and Nissan are ‘leaning toward establishing a holding company.”

If a tie-up were to occur, it would bring together two of the world’s larger automakers for a combined annual output of around 7 million vehicles. That would put it in direct competition with Volkswagen, which currently holds the title of being the world’s 3rd largest automaker with 7.14 million units sold last year. First and second place, held by Toyota and GM, are still comfortably out front with 8.42 million and 8.39 million units respectively.

[Source: Reuters]

Having left Japan just one day before the tsunami-inducing earthquake wreaked havoc, a large shipment of Nissan LEAF Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) has just arrived in Long Beach, Calif.

Nissan’s Luna Spirit vehicle-carrying transport ship was safely on the open ocean when a 500 MPH wave passed under it, at about 3-inches high.

About a week after the tsunami, Nissan announced more than 1,500 LEAFs were either in transit or in a U.S. port.

With the estimated 1,500 new BEVs now in the U.S., this will be make possible the first substantial delivery of LEAFs to the U.S. which at this juncture have had less than stellar sales.

Short supply has been said to be the primary reason why a waiting list of about 2,000 U.S. pre-orders remains unfilled.

In January, Nissan reported 87 LEAFS delivered, and in the 10-percent shorter month of February, just 67 LEAFS were sold. In all, just 173 LEAFS have been delivered to the U.S. according to the Japan Auto Dealers Association (JADA).

This U.S. allotment plus 3,657 LEAF sales primarily in Japan will mean over 5,000 LEAFs will have been produced. This makes it one of the highest production BEVs yet produced. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has previously stated that plug-in vehicles will account for a quarter of Nissan’s sales by 2020, and the LEAF represents the first step towards that goal.

[Source: Plugincars.com]

Renault is admitting that is wrongfully dismissed three executives accused of corporate espionage, saying it has found no evidence to support the allegations made.

Carlos Ghosn, Renault’s CEO, met with the three and promised compensation for their erroneous termination. Renault had accused the executives of holding illicit bank accounts in Switzerland and Lichtenstein, but their claim was contradicted by authorities in both countries. Renault is now investigation potential fraud related to another employee.

“At this stage we do not know whether we are dealing with just fraud or a deliberate attempt to destabilize Renault,” Paris Chief Prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin said. “If there was any espionage it was not carried out through the networks identified by Renault.”

[Source: Automotive News]

Days after Renault fired three men and pressed criminal charges on them for allegedly attempting to sell electric car secrets overseas, CEO Carlos Ghosn is facing a disturbing lack of evidence, embarrassing Renault into reconsidering its accusations.

The entire dramatic episode is becoming a farce—like BP during the Gulf oil spill, Renault may be faced with a new round of replacement executives. Chief operating officer Patrick Pélata told a French newspaper that “a certain number of factors lead us to doubt” the accusations that it had made. Key evidence is missing, such as the bank accounts that the three men had supposedly used in the spying operation. Renault’s own investigators looking into the case have divulged little information on their findings, if any.

To make matters even more complicated, the three men have fought back, suing Renault for defamation and reaching out to the media. They are part of senior management in Renault’s electric car program (that it shares with Nissan) and have been with the company for years, even decades. And they are maintaining their innocence, believing that they were fired without the company even looking for evidence to match the accusations.

Was Renault the victim of a con man, who played on the company’s fears by accusing it of being spied upon? The French government is understandably angry at the whole affair, as the state owns 15 percent of the company. The entire case will only get messier from here, and few people—including Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s wonder boy—are safe.

[Source: New York Times]