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Nissan Leaf EVs slip through French village to make a quiet point

Bjork's 1995 freak-out hit It's Oh So Quiet may have reflected the singer's oddball Icelandic sensibilities, but Nissan is making the concept of relative silence a French thing. The Japanese automaker recently promoted its all-electric Leaf by staging a mini-rally through what it called "one of the quietest villages in Europe." And with the exception of a couple damaged trash bins and a destroyed rear-view mirror from an old-school archway, the race kept the drivers wide awake but everyone in the Southern French village in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur sleeping. Nissan sent four vehicles on a five-kilometer jaunt through the village in the wee morning hours. Screeching tires and a couple booms notwithstanding, the company said everyone in town stayed snoozing. There was a broader purpose to this exercise, of course, which Nissan blatantly admits was a stunt. Nissan was helping celebrate 19th Annual International Noise Awareness Day (INAD), which took place on Wednesday and highlighted the emotional and health issues as well as high blood pressure and insomnia caused by excessive exposure to noise. Check out Nissan's press release below, where you'll also find the video. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. NISSAN LEAF CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL NOISE AWARENESS DAY WITH A NIGHTTIME "SILENT RIDE" ROLLE, Switzerland – To mark the 19th annual International Noise Awareness Day (INAD), Nissan has taken to the streets of one of Europe's quietest villages during the middle of the night with a silent "ride" of its 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF. The activity, complete with a start and finish line in Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur, was designed to demonstrate the noise reduction levels of the Zero Emissions car compared to traditional combustion engines. The World Health Organization (WHO) states at least 13.5 percent of Europeans are exposed to road traffic noise at levels exceeding 55 dB, which is considered detrimental to human health*. The medical effects of noise levels include insomnia (50dB), obesity (50dB), psychic disorders (60dB) and reduction in life expectancy (50dB)*. As a result, Nissan has filmed a 'silent ride' to help support INAD in raising awareness about noise pollution levels across Europe.

Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015

Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper.
For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011.
The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors.

UAW calls on US State Department to help with Nissan plant

The United Auto Workers is calling for reinforcements in its ongoing battle with Nissan at the manufacturer's Canton, MS factory, where the Altima, Armada, Titan and NV (and eventually, the next Murano) are built. The union has been attempting to organize the employees at the factory for several years, but it's been largely unsuccessful.
Now, Reuters is reporting that the UAW is teaming with the IndustriALL Global Union and requesting intervention by the US State Department, with both groups accusing Nissan of using "threats, intimidation and fear" to keep the 5,600 workers at the facility from organizing. The two unions say this violates the guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international organization dedicated to stimulating economic growth.
The UAW and IndustriALL are asking the State Department's National Contact Point to serve as mediator with Nissan, to make sure things play out fairly. Speaking to Reuters, though, there's at least one Michigan-based labor adviser that's skeptical of the move.