Nissan to Sell Hybrid Car Via Internet
Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited
Thursday March 23 12:03 AM ET
TOKYO (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. said on Thursday it will start selling its first gasoline/electric hybrid car in Japan on April 14 over the Internet.
Nissan, owned 36.8 percent by Renault SA (RENA.PA), said it aims to sell 100 units initially and plans to increase output in the future depending on demand for the car.
``We expect demand for hybrid cars to increase further due to its fuel economy and environmental issues,'' a Nissan official said.
Nissan's Tino Hybrid, powered by 1.8-liter gasoline engine and two electric motors, achieves a fuel-efficiency of 23 kilometers per liter, more than double the mileage of a 1.8-liter gasoline-engine model, and more than halves emissions of carbon dioxide.
Other Japanese carmakers have taken steps into the hybrid car market. Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T) now sells its Prius hybrid four-door sedan in Japan while Honda Motor Co. Ltd.'s (7267.T) Insight two-seater hybrid coupe is available in Japan, Europe and the United States. Toyota is schedule to start selling the Prius in the United States around July and in Europe in September.
But Nissan has no plans at the moment to sell hybrid cars overseas, the official said.
The domestic price of the Tino Hybrid will be 3.15 million yen, but buyers can expect government subsidies of up to 780,000 yen for business use and up to 500,000 for private use, the official said.