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Nissan Diesel Motor Co. Develops Hybrid Natrual Gas Trucks

June 27, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

Nissan Diesel Motor Co. (Tokyo) announced that it has developed hybrid-powered trucks using natural gas and an electric motor, which are expected to meet the stricter emissions standards that take effect in 2005. The news caused Nissan shares to go up. After the announcement, shares were up 27 yen, or 37 percent, at 100 yen. Nissan is owned 22.5 percent each by Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. and Renault SA.The hybrid-powered light trucks are equipped with a low-emission compressed natural gas (CNG) engine and a capacitor which stores electricity generated by energy from the brakes. According to Nissan, both the capacitor and the CNG engine supply electricity to a motor, boosting the vehicle's fuel efficiency to double that of conventional CNG trucks.Industry sources said that currently about 5,000 CNG-powered vehicles are used in Japan by government offices, commuter bus operators and trucking firms.