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Auditor had questioned Nissan on payments in Ghosn scandal, source says

TOKYO — Nissan's auditor had repeatedly questioned transactions at the heart of allegations of financial misconduct by former chief Carlos Ghosn, but Nissan said they were proper, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC questioned Nissan's management several times, chiefly around 2013, about purchases of overseas luxury homes for Ghosn's personal use and of stock-appreciation rights that were conferred on him. But the Japanese automaker said the transactions and financial reporting were appropriate, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The revelation shows Nissan and its auditor were discussing the transactions, in apparent contrast with Nissan's contention that the alleged misreporting of benefits for Ghosn was masterminded by Ghosn and a key lieutenant. A spokesman for EY ShinNihon, the Japanese affiliate of global accounting firm Ernst & Young, said he could not comment on specific cases. A Nissan spokesman declined to comment. Ghosn was arrested on Nov. 19 as he arrived in Japan. Prosecutors accuse him of falsifying Nissan's annual reports to understate by about half his total compensation of some 10 billion yen ($90 million) over several years. The high-profile former executive has denied the allegations, according to Japanese media. Ghosn remains in custody and is unable to speak publicly. He is represented by former prosecutor Motonari Otsuru, according to Japanese media. Otsuru's law firm declined to comment on Wednesday, and Otsuru has not responded to requests for comment. Nissan has largely pinned the blame on Ghosn and Greg Kelly, a former representative director who was arrested along with Ghosn on the same allegations. "As a result of the investigation, we are certain these two are the masterminds," CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a news conference on Nov. 19, referring to Ghosn and Kelly. He declined to say whether others at Nissan were involved in the alleged wrongdoing. An internal investigation is ongoing, and Nissan says it is cooperating with prosecutors. Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors have removed Ghosn as chairman in the wake of his arrest. The French member of the three-firm alliance, Renault, retains him as chairman and CEO.

Nissan's 'No Charge to Charge' is what incentives look like in the EV age [UPDATE]

Nissan knows that offering free charging can increase Leaf sales, so it only makes sense for them to expand the "No Charge to Charge" program. And that's exactly what happened yesterday. As previewed during the New York Auto Show, No Charge To Charge gives new Leaf buyers free charging at participating public charging stations – which is pretty much any public station – for two years. That's the kind of thing that simplifies the EV buying process, which can move units, Brendan Jones, director of Nissan EV sales and infrastructure, told AutoblogGreen. "There is an expectation that we'll get a sales increase out of this," Jones said. "All the dealer has to say is that we have one card that accesses all chargers and we have a promotion where you can get free charging. The more complexity we reduce, the more sales we get." "The more complexity we reduce, the more sales we get." – Nissan's Brendan Jones That all-access angle is important for the broader EV market, Jones said, calling the program, "The first valid step towards interoperability." Jones said there will be more surprise announcements soon. "The infrastructure companies really came together to support Nissan on this," he said, but added that, "What's good for the industry and EVs in general is good for Nissan." "Leaf customers are not shy about their ability to provide constructive criticism," Jones said, " and interoperability has always been a big concern." Now that many of the early adopters drive an EV, the next target audience are the people who are telling EV companies to "Make this easy for me and I will adopt," Jones said. "[Interoperability] is a necessity for the industry now. We know the experience is great once they drive it. This just takes away a barrier, that confusion at the dealership." And, in some areas in the US, No Charge To Charge is now live. There are 2,600 public stations (200 of them fast chargers) in the initial 10 markets, Nissan says. Those include: San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Portland (OR), Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Washington, DC. Nissan hasn't announced where the next 15 markets will be, but we know that they will likely be wherever the Leaf is selling well and there are a fair number of DC fast chargers. As we reported in April, each charging session in the No Charge To Charge program is limited to 30 minutes if you're plugged into a CHAdeMO fast charge station and to an hour at a Level 2 station.

Takata air bag recall list

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed yesterday that 33.8 million vehicles with Takata airbags are going to be recalled. It's the largest recall in automotive history. The already record-breaking rate of automotive recalls this year shows no signs of slowing down, especially since millions of cars with defective airbags made by global supplier Takata are under ongoing scrutiny. The federal government is warning owners that inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed. The faulty air bags have already been blamed for multiple deaths. How do you know if your vehicle is safe? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released an updated list of vehicles under recall. Sometimes however, the government's website will crash and the list may not be complete. Check your VIN at the NHTSA website to make sure. The list of cars affected by the recall has not been released, but seem to span multiple models over the years for many of the automakers.