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Expectations for the Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) |
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Nissan has clear goals in development of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). To contribute to sustainable growth in the 21st Century, vehicles need to meet the following conditions: 1) reduce total exhaust emissions, 2) reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and 3) run on renewable energy. |
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Reform of the Energy System |
FCVs run on hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen gas is almost non-existent in the natural world, but as an element hydrogen is one of the most common on earth, prevalent in many substances in the form of water and hydrocarbons. Methods of producing hydrogen gas are expected to diversify, enabling the use of energy sources other than oil. Long-term, it will be possible to achieve a transportation system that produces no CO2 emissions if hydrogen or electricity can be generated from renewable sources such as solar, wind, or biomass.. Of course, a shift such as this does not happen overnight, but historically shifts in energy sources have occurred in 20-30 year cycles. Wood or coal never completely stopped being used, but a major shift took place in the positioning of energy sources with the introduction of oil.
Today, oil plays a paramount role as an energy source, but considering the increasing environmental impact we must look to a future in which the role of renewable energies takes steady root.
An executive from an oil company once said, “The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones, and likewise the end of the Oil Age will not happen because we deplete all of the world's oil.”
FCVs have the potential to serve as a catalyst in reforming our current energy system, but at the same time FCV technology will not succeed unless there is strong resolve to reform our energy system.
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Development Team |
Full-scale development of FCV technology has a very short history globally–it is a young technology with little more than 10 years behind it. Nissan fully entered into FCV development in 2001. Among the world’s major automobile manufacturers, this was undoubtedly a late start. At that time there were almost no employees experienced in FCV development within the company.
Initially, no one on the development team had experience in this field, but now team is growing rapidly with this original group at the core.. A new prototype was developed each year between 2001 and 2003, and everyone continues to learn and develop together as a team.
Many members of the FCV development team applied for a position in almost all cases because they wanted to contribute to solving today's environmental problems. As one young engineer said, "One reason I am glad I transferred is because I now enjoy talking to my kids about what their father does at work."
Although FCV technology perhaps will not come into its own until our children's generation, it is gratifying to know that we are grappling with important issues and leaving behind a legacy for the benefit of future generations.
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Building Eco-Friendly Vehicles |
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For automakers, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions remains a top priority when developing environmental technologies. While conducting research and development on fuel cell and other clean energy vehicles for future production, Nissan also continues to improve the fuel economy of its vehicles for the current market. Optimizing fuel economy requires a comprehensive approach that involves more efficient transmissions and engines together with lightweight and aerodynamic designs. |
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Boosting Engine Efficiency |
Friction is one of the main causes of energy loss within an engine. Reducing friction improves engine efficiency and enhances the engine's overall fuel economy. Borrowing from a finishing technique traditionally used for machining engine parts for racing cars, over the past several years Nissan has successfully lowered friction resistance by 30 percent compared with earlier models. The new family of HR15DE and MR20DE engines is already used in our Tiida and Lafesta models, and plans are in place to install these engines in a wider range of models worldwide.
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Improving Transmission Efficiency |
Transmission efficiency is another requirement for optimal fuel economy, and it is an area in which there remains significant room for improvement. About 95 percent of all vehicles in Japan use automatic transmissions, and conventional automatic transmissions shift gears repeatedly in hilly driving conditions.
Continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology overcomes this issue, enabling smooth shifting in uneven driving conditions by continuously altering the gear ratio during vehicle acceleration or deceleration. CVT is a special type of automatic transmission that enables "seamless" acceleration and deceleration in which the engine can be operated in more efficient ranges. This result is improvement in fuel economy and driving performance both.
At present Nissan is the world's only automaker with CVT-fitted models ranging from compact to full-size passenger vehicles. We introduced the first CVT vehicle, the 1.0-liter class March, in 1992. We went on to fit the 3.5-liter Murano and Teana with CVTs in 2003.
The process of reaching this milestone challenged us to innovate and proved to be a true test of our engineering capabilities. One of the obstacles we faced while developing this CVT technology occurred in the early stages of development. CVT uses metal belts for uninterrupted changes in gear ratio, which are fine-tuned through the use of hydraulic pressure.
The kind of high-pressure pumps required for high torque CVTs however, were not available during this first phase of development. It began to appear as if this new transmission would only be suitable for smaller vehicles.
In fact, due to the complexity of the technology, many parts suppliers gave up halfway through development projects. The words of Nissan Senior Vice President Yo Usuba say it all: "When it came to building a CVT for 3.5-liter class vehicles, there were plenty of skeptics, even here at Nissan, who couldn't believe we'd embark on such an ambitious undertaking. However, a large number of engineers at Nissan and our subsidiary JATCO Ltd. were convinced, despite the many challenges posed by this development and setbacks faced along the way, that this technology had outstanding potential. They were confident that we would succeed in the end, and kept pushing ahead. Nissan's CVT achievement today is the result of their tireless commitment and devotion".
The combination of the new engines and other vehicle improvements improved real-world fuel economy* by 20 percent in the Tiida and by 37 percent in the Lafesta. During the Nissan Value-Up period, the company seeks to increase the number of CVT vehicles to more than one million units worldwide, about four times the number today. A major motivating force behind this plan is our estimate that putting one million highly fuel-efficient CVT vehicles on the road will reduce CO2 emissions by roughly the same amount as selling 200,000 hybrid vehicles.
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Building Technologies to Meet Customer Needs |
Like everything at Nissan, we strive to create new vehicle technologies that meet the needs of society as well as the needs of our company. Through the best possible combination of new technologies, we aim to build vehicles that achieve class-leading fuel economy while offering real-world benefits for our customers.
"Developing innovative technologies is a very tough process-every step of the way". Yo Usuba continues, "But all the fatigue and frustration are outweighed many times over by a deep sense of accomplishment when we see the successful results of our efforts. That is what I believe is the most exhilarating and gratifying aspect of being a Nissan engineer. When I walk down the street and see a vehicle drive by with the technology that we developed, I feel a strong sense of pride and achievement".
Perfecting technology that contributes to a better environment, while satisfying customers all over the world, is a responsibility that we at Nissan plan to continue pursuing now and in the future.
| * | Real-world fuel economy: This calculation was developed in-house and is based on fuel economy tests conducted under real-world driving conditions experienced in congested cities and on highways. |
