Nissan HQ solar chargers

Nissan has installed solar-powered e-car charging stations at its headquarters in Franklin, Tenn. Read about it here.

TN e-cars roll out

Knoxville's MetroPulse provides an interesting overview of the challenges facing Nissan and others as they roll-out their Leafs and other e-cars.

Nissan names Marketing VP

Nissan North America today announced Joel Ewanick has been named vice president, Marketing, Nissan Division, effective March 22. He succeeds Christian Meunier, whose appointment as president, Nissan Brazil, was announced Feb. 5.

DOE signs Nissan LEAF Battery loan agreement

The Department of Energy signed a loan agreement to make $1.4 BN available to Nissan to support manufacture of the LEAF e-car battery at Smyrna, Tenn. Release here. The DOE release said, in part, "The loan will result in the creation of up to 1,300 jobs when the plants are operating at full capacity. Modification of the Smyrna manufacturing plant, which will begin later this year, includes a new battery plant and changes in the existing structure for electric-vehicle assembly. When fully operational, the vehicle assembly plant will have the capacity to build 150,000 Nissan LEAF electric cars per year, and the new plant will have an annual capacity of 200,000 batteries."

Update on Nissan Leaf e-car in TN

The Times Free Press provides an update on plans for the Nissan Leaf to be test-introduced in Tennessee. The story's here.

'Cash for Volts'

Nissan is among the players in the new Electrification Coalition calling for federal subsidies for providing incentives for building the e-car charging infrastructure and purchasing e-cars. Design News reports, as does The Washington Post.

Nissan-Reliant

Nissan said in a release today, "The Renault-Nissan Alliance today announced that Nissan and Reliant Energy of Houston, Texas, one of the major competitive electricity providers in the nation, have forged an agreement to advance zero-emission mobility in the United States. The announcement helps pave the way for the 2010 introduction of Nissan LEAF, the industry’s first all-electric, zero-emission car designed for the mass market. The company expects to begin sales in late 2010. Reliant is a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), one of the largest electricity generators in the United States..." The announcement precedes the Leaf's zero-emissions tour.

Nissan impact questioned

In Murfreesboro, Gannett's Daily News Journal reports that a consultant's estimate of jobs and economic benefit flowing from Nissan e-car and battery-making operations in the region was overstated, at least in the view of MTSU Economist David Penn.

Autos boom in mid-South

Automobile manufacturing is growing a bigger footprint in Tennessee and the surrounding region. The TFP reports on the emerging corridor.

Nissan Leaf debut tomorrow

Nissan's Leaf debuts tomorrow at the Tokyo Motor Show. WIRED offers this advancer. WIRED also reports on the card's new iPhone app controller. An AP story in the Times Free Press this morning has CEO Carlos Ghosn saying that e-cars will cost more than regular cars, by the time they reach scale. He predicts e-cards with 10 percent of market by 2020.

Nissan greening

Nissan announced Wednesday it has cut computer-server energy usage at its Tennessee plants. The company's release is here.

NEWS: Piloting e-car charge-ups in Tennessee

The U.S. Department of Energy and Phoenix-based Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec, a sub of ECOtality, OTCBB:ETLY) announced today that Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville will be pilot cities for deployment of charging infrastructure to support Nissan's LEAF EV. The corporate release is here. Related story, News Sentinel. DOE release here. List of all related Stimulus funding winners.

No Tailpipe

Yesterday in Japan, Nissan unveiled its LEAF all-electric zero-emission 5-passenger car, which it plans to begin marketing here in about a year. By 2012, the car will be assembled at Smyrna, Tenn., where batteries are also to be made. Nissan's release is here.

Nissan Hearts Mt. Juliet

No net increase in jobs, but the consolidation of Nissan North America distribution facilities in Mt. Juliet, and decommissioning smaller Nissan facilities at Smyrna, should be a boon for the lucky community. The Bizjournals broke the news, it seems, with the Twin Cities paper providing pretty interesting background on Opus Northwest, which will do the construction; and, the Nashville sister paper providing more details on Smyrna's loss. Also worth noting in these perilous economic times: Gov. Phil Bredesen and State ECD announced Columbus McKinnon will invest $3.5MM in improving its chain-manufacturing operations near Jackson in Lexington, Tenn., and create perhaps 25 new jobs over the next few years. Retaining nearly 200 jobs total is no small thing, these days.

e-Autos: Powertrain horserace off-and-running

Tennesseans have great hopes that tech advances at Oak Ridge NL and recent corporate investment announcements will spawn not only electric-vehicle production (thanks! Nissan), but also battery powertrain-related jobs. San Jose's Mercury News reports Tesla Motors is making a $100MM play to build such a facility in the Bay Area, using Stimulus resources. That's a Tesla PR photo of a Tesla roadster.

[Updated June 24] TN Auto sector exploding

Carlos Ghosn (left), CEO of Nissan, is all smiles, we suppose, about the company's widely reported decision to locate production of its new electric auto at Smyrna, Tenn. He keeps this up, his name recognition could be huge by 2010. Hmm. Or, given the rumors that GM's Hummer could land in Tennessee, also, maybe that should read, Hummmmm. [Updates - Here's an item on Nissan's partnerships, including comments by CIO Linda Goodspeed, on NashvillePost.com. And, here are the Nissan release and the Obama Administration's release about a $1.6Bn loan to Nissan to upgrade its TN plant for the electric car. Lest they be forgotten, here's the TFP's June 24 story on Volkswagen hiring moving apace.]

Nissan Electrics in TN?

Some days, in the wake of VW and Hemlock, it seems anything is possible. And, and as we blogged in January, there've been signals the Bredesen Administration is trying to persuade Nissan to manufacture E-cars in-state. What next? A key Nissan executive, Mark Perry (at left), will speak in Chattanooga Feb. 16 on "Creating a New Electric Vehicle and the Grid to Feed It," giving further impetus to hopes that Nissan's Mid-TN headquarters, plus Tennessee's clean energy and automotive pushes, plus the TVA energy grid, may prove deciding factors in Nissan's decision. The 11:30 a.m. (ET) event at the Doubletree Hotel (Chatta.) is cosponsored by Chattanooga Engineers Club, Chattanooga Technology Council, Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Quality, Society of Women Engineers, IEEE and other professional societies. [Updated Feb. 17 with correct photo of Mark Perry.]

Tennessee Green: 'There's a BYD F3DM in your future'

[Updated] We reported recently that Gov. Phil Bredesen is definitely tracking more companies poised to expand and-or invest in Tennessee. This morning's Tennessean has U.S. Sen. Bob Corker saying there'll soon be another announcement in one of the other Grand Divides. Mentioned today: Hemlock Semiconductor, Sharp Electronics (Memphis, possible expansion candidate), Aerisyn Energy (wind), AGC Flat Glass, Dupont Danisco Cellulosic (biofuel). There are also hints Tennessee is pursuing Nashville-based Nissan North America and General Motors for production of new electric cars. Meanwhile, today's WSJ reports on the emergence of The People's Republic of China's BYD, maker of the new F3DM e-car, which is prepared to take on the world, albeit with a few engine-mount shakes and rattles. Updated Jan. 13: KNS's Brass reports on Knox-based Enerex's business in wind-to-energy, story here.