In the U.S.a similar CO2 program is possible, but Nissan might need the credits itself or want to sell them to other automakers in CAFE trouble.
Nissan Motor Company in Japan today announced the launch of the Nissan Zero Emission Fund for individual electric vehicle owners in Japan that converts the amount of CO2 emissions that are offset by driving the electric Leaf to generate credits.
The credits are based on the average CO2 emitted by a gasoline-powered vehicle. The Leaf’s total annual distance traveled is automatically collected by a computer if the driver subscribes to its navigation and telematics system.
Through participation in this new program, Nissan Leaf owners will be able to generate CO2 emissions credits certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and sold to the Green Investment Promotion Organization, which promotes investment in low carbon emissions. The system calculates and certifies the amount of CO2 emissions that are avoided by driving zero-emissions vehicles. Profits earned by the sale of the credits will be invested by the fund to support the installation of quick charging facilities and Japan that need reforestation in Japan, which will be called “Leaf Forests.”
The Nissan Leaf, launched in Japan in December 2010, emits no CO2 gas when operated — unlike conventional gasoline powered vehicles, provided the electricity used to recharge it comes does not come from burning a fossil fuel. A Nissan spokesperson said there are no plans to introduce the program in the U.S.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
