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Recharge Wrap-up: Nissan Leaf's UK milestone, SF's renewable diesel

San Francisco's municipal fleet will use renewable diesel, according to Mayor Edwin M. Lee. Switching to the greener fuel will reduce the fleet's greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent. "By changing our fleet's fuel from petroleum to renewable diesel, we're taking action that is good for the global climate, and at the same time promotes environmental justice in our community by leading to cleaner, healthier air for some of our most vulnerable neighborhoods," Lee says. While renewable diesel is more expensive than the petroleum-based product, with government incentives, it could end up saving the city money. Read more from Biodiesel Magazine. Nissan has sold its 10,000th Leaf in the UK. As of July 6, Nissan has tallied 10,161 Leaf sales since its 2011 launch in the UK. More than half of those were sold in the last 12 months. Nissan sold 2,964 Leaf EVs in the first half of this year, an increase of 69.4 percent over last year. "The UK's electric vehicle market is growing at an extraordinary pace," says Nissan's James Wright, "and while it may be too early to talk about tipping points, today's achievement certainly indicates we're well on our way." The Nissan Leaf is the best selling battery electric vehicle in the UK. Read more from EV Meerkat. ClipperCreek has added a new 40-amp EV charger to its lineup. Called the HCS-50, the 240-volt level 2 charger is designed to serve both residential and commercial markets. "The HCS-50's rugged design and ample 25 foot charging cable make it a perfect solution for fleet and commercial applications," says ClipperCreek Sales Manager Will Barrett. "As battery range increases, the vehicle's ability to accept power is increasing, too, and the HCS-50 offers users extra power to get their vehicles charged up and back on the road fast." The HCS-50 charging station is priced at $835. Read more in the press release below. ClipperCreek Announces Availability of HCS-50 Electric Vehicle Charging Station Top selling EVSE manufacturer releases high-powered 40 amp EV charging station AUBURN, Calif., July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ClipperCreek has added the HCS-50 electric vehicle charging station to their product line. The HCS-50 is a powerful and rugged 40 amp station paired with a highly durable rubber overmolded cable and vehicle connector. Offering power, reliability and value, this 240 volt, level 2 electric vehicle charging station, rated for both indoor and outdoor use, is priced at $835.

FCA-Renault revival may hinge on willingness to cut Nissan stake

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault are looking for ways to resuscitate their collapsed merger plan and secure the approval of the French carmaker's alliance partner Nissan, according to several sources close to the companies. Nissan is poised to urge Renault to significantly reduce its 43.4% stake in the Japanese company in return for supporting a FCA-Renault tie-up, two people with knowledge of its thinking also told Reuters. It is still far from clear whether any concerted effort to revive the complex and politically fraught deal can succeed. FCA Chairman John Elkann abruptly withdrew his $35 billion merger offer in the early hours of June 6 after the French government, Renault's biggest shareholder, blocked a vote by its board and demanded more time to win Nissan's backing. Nissan representatives had said they would abstain. The failure, which FCA and Renault blamed squarely on the French government, deprived both companies of an opportunity to create the world's third-biggest carmaker with 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in promised annual synergies. It also shone a harsh light on Renault's relations with Nissan, which have gone from frayed to fried since the November arrest of former alliance Chairman Carlos Ghosn, now awaiting trial in Japan on financial misconduct charges he denies. REVIVAL TALKS Italian-American FCA — whose brand stable encompasses Fiat runabouts, Jeep SUVs, RAM pickups, Alfa Romeo luxury cars and Maserati sports cars — has so far turned a deaf ear to suggestions by French officials that its merger proposal could be revisited. But since the breakdown, Elkann and his French counterpart Jean-Dominique Senard have had talks about reviving the plan that left the Renault chairman and his Chief Executive Thierry Bollore upbeat about that prospect, three alliance sources said. Renault and a spokesman for FCA declined to comment. One of Elkann's senior advisors on the Renault merger bid, Toby Myerson, was expected at Nissan headquarters in Yokohama on Monday for exploratory discussions with top management, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa is likely to attend. Myerson did not respond to a message from Reuters seeking comment. The meeting comes amid mounting strains that may preclude compromise, after Senard warned Saikawa that Renault was prepared to block key Nissan governance reforms in a dispute over board committees.

Petrolicious finds a '72 240Z that is one fair lady

Petrolicious has a real knack for finding ridiculously cool cars to film, and they almost always seem to have interesting owners. Glenn Chiou and his 1972 Nissan Fairlady 240Z-L are no exception. While it's engrossing to hear Chiou's passion for his Z during the interview, the biggest highlight in this clip is the wonderfully coarse mechanical sound and burbling exhaust. Chiou first got into cars during the modified import boom of the early 2000s, but his tastes slowly started to skew towards vintage Japanese vehicles. He eventually found this coupe in 2010 in somewhat ratty condition and set to work brining it to its current state. With binders full of vintage brochures and a heap of original parts, Chiou puts his zeal for the Nissan to excellent use. The result is a Fairlady sporting an array of period-correct mods from the Japanese competition catalog, and a six-cylinder engine that makes an unforgettable sound.