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Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan Murano Hybrid in China, FCA hearts E15

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has approved the use of E15 in its 2016 model year vehicles. The Renewable Fuels Association is pleased with the automaker's choice to cover the higher ethanol blend in its warranty statements, describing it as a positive signal for the future growth of E15. "FCA's decision to join GM and Ford provides clear evidence that the tide on E15 has turned," says RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "The automaker's decision not to embrace E15 had been a major point of concern and tension for the last three years." Read more from the RFA. Skoda's head of purchasing, Dieter Seemann, discusses sourcing EV components in a new interview. He says the biggest challenge is seeking out future suppliers for electric motor and connected vehicle components. "We have to really understand what happens in this business to identify the right partners to have in five to eight years from now," says Seemann. "Many of these are suppliers completely new to us." He says Skoda purchases 50 to 55 percent of its parts directly, while chassis and powertrain parts are shared among other Volkswagen Group brands. Read the full interview at Automotive News Europe. Nissan is helping the European Commission develop a pedestrian alert system for electric vehicles. Called Electric Vehicle Alert for Detection and Emergency Response (eVADER), the project aims to develop technology that provides audible cues to alert pedestrians to oncoming vehicles without contributing to noise pollution. Nissan created a system for the Leaf that uses a camera to recognize pedestrians and cyclists and direct a sound in their direction. This work will help the EU shape its laws moving forward. Read more at Electric Cars Report. The Nissan Murano Hybrid has gone on sale in China. The Murano Hybrid is powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter engine and an electric motor with lithium-ion battery. The hybrid uses Nissan's All Mode 4x4-i all-wheel-drive system, and is equipped with a host of safety technology. The new Murano helps Nissan cater to China's growing demand for SUVs, and is also part of the "Young Nissan" strategy. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release below. Nissan introduces the all-new Murano to China SHANGHAI, China(August 8, 2015) – Nissan today announced that the all-new Murano, including the hybrid version, is officially available for sale from its joint venture in China, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger vehicle company (DFL-PV).

Carlos Ghosn returns as president of ACEA

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (abbreviated ACEA in French) is an industry group representing all the biggest automakers in Europe, representing their common interests on the world stage. And as such it needs a leader, figurehead and mouthpiece to serve as its president, and for the second time the association's board of directors has chosen Carlos Ghosn.
Now if you're recognizing Ghosn as the CEO of Nissan and wondering what that has to do with European cars, it's not because Nissan manufactures much in Europe. In fact, it only operates has a handful of locations in Europe: one in the UK, one in Barcelona and one in St Petersburg. But you'd be wise to recall that Ghosn also serves as CEO of Renault, one of the biggest players in European automobile manufacturing. He also sits on the boards at Russian automaker AvtoVAZ (of which Renault owns 25 percent) and of his native Brazil's Banco Itaú, not to mention the advisory councils of a handful of universities - two of them from his ancestral hometown of Beirut. He previously served as president of ACEA in 2009, and was re-elected to replace outgoing PSA chairman Philippe Varin.
Alongside Renault, ACEA membership includes BMW, Daimler, Fiat, Jaguar Land Rover, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Volkswagen and Volvo, along with the European divisions of Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Toyota, as well as a handful of truck manufacturers.

Nissan leaning on JATCO to remedy CVT problems

Nissan's decision to fit continuously variable transmissions across even more of its new models may be coming back to bite the Japanese automaker, as it's been hampered by customer satisfaction issues relating to its XTronic CVTs, which are provided by a supplier called JATCO.
From what we're understanding, the issue largely relates to customers' unfamiliarity with the non-traditional shift nature of a CVT. Dealers have reported complaints and service visits from owners over the belt-driven automatics (did these people not test drive the cars before they bought them and notice that they don't shift conventionally?).
The company, which Nissan owns 75 percent of, has come under fire from none other than Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who's spoken about JATCO and its troubles rather openly. "Every time you launch a new CVT you always have some risks," Ghosn said in an interview with Automotive News. "So we now have a process by which, before we launch any new CVT, [JATCO] come before the Nissan executive committee to explain all the measures they have taken to make sure there are no surprises."