Nissan to Sell Lithium Battery Driven Electric Cars in U.S.

10/15/96

Kyodo has reported that Nissan Motor Company will lease electric vehicles that run on energy from lithium ion batteries starting in January 1998 in California. Nissan says it will be the the first company to put such vehicles on the U.S. market. The cars will be made in Japan and exported to the United States.

Nissan and Sony Corporation jointly developed the lithium ion batteries, which have an electric energy density per weight ratio that is three times higher than conventional batteries. The company will test-drive the vehicles in the U.S. next summer, it said.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel