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Nissan seeks tech tie-up without Renault as alliance nears end of road

Nissan is developing growth plans in areas such as software and electric vehicles (EVs) independent of Renault SA as the automakers work to finalize terms of a sharply limited alliance, said seven people with knowledge of the matter. Japan's third-biggest automaker by sales is seeking a partner outside the auto industry to develop software that connects vehicles to cloud-based services, two people involved in discussions said, without elaborating on candidates. That would address a relative weakness for Nissan as it tries to make cars "smarter and more connected," one of the people said. It is also working on an expanded strategy for all-battery and plug-in EVs for North American and Asian markets that will be for Nissan alone, they said. The revelations come as the alliance oversight board met this week to discuss a rebalance that will see Renault cut its stake in Nissan to 15% from 43% — matching the size of Nissan's stake in Renault — and Nissan gain reciprocal voting rights. Under the deal, to be finalized by mid-year, Nissan will also invest in the French automaker's new Ampere EV business. Imbalance had long riled Nissan executives who complained Renault did not pay its fair share of costs for innovation and development. Nissan's emerging strategy reflects a belief within the automaker that the 23-year-old alliance has run its course for many of the biggest challenges it faces, the people said. While Nissan sees continued savings in shared parts procurement with Renault, it has no plan to provide engineering support to Ampere, said two of the people, who all asked not to be identified because talks between the pair are ongoing. It also has no plan to provide its e-Power hybrid technology to a gasoline powertrain-focused joint venture Renault has with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd and Saudi Aramco Base Oil Co JSC, two of the people said. GOING SOLO Such go-it-alone thinking is shaping a longer-term plan that could be announced by year-end focusing on improved operational performance, electrification and software allowing self-driving and other "connected car" features, one of the people said. "Even if Renault gets something from Nissan, benefits moving in the other direction are hard," a second person with knowledge of Nissan's stance said.

Nissan dealer: 2016 Leaf will have 110-mile battery option

Leave it to a local dealer in Indiana to spill the beans about the beans about the changes to the upcoming 2016 Nissan Leaf. Maybe. There's a dealer near Indianapolis called Andy Mohr Avon Nissan near Indianapolis and its website says that the new Leaf will come with two battery packs. The dealer says that the 2016 Leaf will come with two different battery trim levels. You can choose a car with the same pack as the 2015 Leaf has (and, thus, still get 84 miles of official range) or you can opt for the higher trim level, which will give you, "as much as 25 percent increased capacity, delivering a driving range of as much as 110 miles." Now, let's take all of this with some grains of salt and combine it with previous rumors. First, this does not seem to be any sort of information about a second-gen Leaf. We've heard plenty of rumors that the 2016 Leaf will have a 30-kWh battery pack that can go over 100 miles, but this is sort of a version 1.5 Leaf, since this longer range will be available in an updated current model and not yet the next-gen model. Nissan's Paige Presley, from Nissan's EV and technology communications, said simply that she, "can't comment on future products." We spoke with Joe Kline, the internet manager at Andy Mohr Avon Nissan, and he said that it was likely that the information about the two battery packs came directly from Nissan but he wasn't 100 percent sure. Kline said that the Andy Morh Avon Nissan dealership probably sold around 10 Leafs in the past year, mostly because the infrastructure isn't as built out as it could be in central Indiana. "They're not quite up to par with the charging stations around here," he said. With the longer-range version, the dealership's website says, "the new Leaf can find a home in even more garages." Related Video: Featured Gallery 2015 Nissan Leaf View 12 Photos News Source: Andy Mohr Avon Nissan via Green Car Reports Green Rumormill Nissan Electric

Nissan could offer plug-in hybrids by 2016

Nissan is recharging the idea of a production plug-in hybrid model. The Japanese automaker may start making a plug-in hybrid by as soon as late 2015, with deliveries to start in time for the 2016 model year, Green Car Reports says, citing an interview with company executive Andy Palmer. Those comments go against what Nissan said during the North American Auto Show in January. Palmer didn't specify what class of vehicle the plug-in hybrid would be, but he said battery-electric vehicles are best suited for cars 3,850 pounds or lighter, according to Green Car Reports. That would imply that the plug-in hybrid powertrain may be used for a mid-sized sedan or a crossover vehicle. Either way, a Nissan PHEV may pair the Nissan Leaf's 108-horsepower electric motor with a gas engine. Whether Palmer's projected timeframe was more of a ballpark estimate is anyone's guess, as the company hasn't made official plans for a 2016 model-year plug-in hybrid, Nissan spokesman Tim Gallagher wrote in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen. Either way, feel free to join us in the comments below. Nissan is coming off its best-ever sale month for the Leaf, which has moved about 115,000 units around the world. Domestic sales of the Leaf in May rose 46 percent from a year earlier to a monthly record 3,117 vehicles. Through the first five months of the year, Leaf sales increased 36 percent, to 10,389 units.