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Nissan Joins California Fuel Cell Partnership; Nissan to Provide Demonstration Fuel-Cell Vehicle in California

3 March 2000

Nissan Joins California Fuel Cell Partnership; Nissan to Provide Demonstration Fuel-Cell Vehicle in California

    CARSON, Calif., March 3  -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., today
announced its intent to join the California Fuel Cell Partnership to
contribute to the development of fuel cell technology.  As part of the
partnership agreement, Nissan will demonstrate its fuel cell electric vehicle
program in California in 2001.
    The partnership is a voluntary effort to advance a new automobile
technology that could move the world toward practical and affordable
environmental solutions.  By demonstrating fuel-cell-powered electric vehicles
under real day-to-day driving conditions, the partnership will focus on
raising consumer awareness and explore the path to commercialization of fuel
cell technology.
    The partnership will place about 50 fuel cell passenger cars and fuel cell
buses on the road between 2000 and 2003.  A headquarters facility based in the
Sacramento area will be constructed for the partnership and will serve as an
operations base for up to 16 fuel cell vehicles beginning late this year.
    "Nissan's proven environmental track record and years of experience in
alternative fuel technologies will complement the partnership.  We're excited
to have them on board," said Alan Lloyd, chairman, California Air Resources
Board and a member of the partnership.
    The partnership, a public-private venture, includes Nissan and four other
automakers (DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen); energy providers (ARCO,
Shell, and Texaco); a fuel cell company (Ballard Power Systems); and
government agencies (the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy
Commission, and the U.S. Department of Energy).  The partnership also has
added a global leader in methanol production to its team of associate partners
    "This partnership provides us an opportunity to explore ways to develop
environmentally beneficial technology," said Debra Sanchez Fair, vice
president, corporate communications, Nissan North America, Inc.  "Fuel cell
technology holds a great deal of promise and the partnership will help us to
realize its potential."
    In addition to Nissan's fuel cell vehicle development, Nissan has a long
history of environmental accomplishments.  Nissan's most recent and notable
activities in this regard include:

    -- The first automobile manufacturer in the U.S. to install the equipment
       for recovery and recycling of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-12) and
       hydrofluorocarbons (HFC-134a) refrigerants at all its U.S. dealerships.

    -- Among the first automakers worldwide to eliminate the use of CFCs as a
       foaming and cleaning agent in manufacturing processes.

    -- Nissan was the only automaker to receive the EPA's "Best of the Best"
       award for protecting the stratospheric ozone layer.

    -- Nissan is curbing HFC emissions in Japan where there is no government
       regulation regarding HFCs.

    -- The first automobile manufacturer in the world to introduce a
       powertrain system combining direct-injection gasoline (DiG) engine with
       a continuously variable transmission (CVT). These vehicles emit far
       less pollution yet maintain high power and improved mileage ratings of
       50 percent.  The DiG-CVT technology was honored with the Energy
       Conservation Prize from the director general of Japan's Agency of
       Natural Resources and Energy.

    -- Nissan was the only automaker to receive the prestigious 1999 Climate
       Protection Award from the United States Environmental Protection
       Agency.  Nissan received the award for its aggressive steps to address
       global warming, to reduce hydrofluorocarbons and to improve fuel
       economy in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles.

    -- Development of a gasoline-fueled 2000 model year Sentra CA (for "clean
       air") which emits about one-fourth of the unburned hydrocarbon and one-
       tenth of the oxides of nitrogen and is the world's cleanest gasoline-
       powered car.

    In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling,
engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing,
distribution and manufacturing.