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NA auto output to reach 11-year peak

According to Automotive News, automakers are expected to manufacture 16 million light vehicles in North America in 2013. That's up 500,000 units from last year and marks the largest number since 2002. The prediction comes courtesy of LMC Automotive and IHS Automotive, which point to the improving US economy as a bellwether for total production. LMC Automotive says North America will produce 16 million vehicles while IHS has a slightly more optimistic forecast of 16.1 million units. A total of seven automakers are slated to increase production on the continent this year. Nissan is set to see the largest jump at 20 percent over last year.
Volkswagen, meanwhile, is one of the only manufacturers predicted to scale back production. Analysts expect the German company's output to fall by 23 percent to 170,000 units, thanks in part to slow demand for the Volkswagen Passat and Jetta.

Nissan X-Trail Takata inflator rupture causes fire in Japan [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Autoblog has received Nissan's official statement about the Takata inflator rupture in Japan. It confirms the details of the case, but contradicts one part of the original story. Nissan says that the vehicle's owner was notified about the recall, but the X-Trail wasn't repaired. We've updated the story to reflect this, and the full statement is embedded below. Nissan is the latest automaker to be directly affected by faulty Takata airbags in its vehicles. In this case, a 2001 X-Trail crossover in Japan caught fire after an accident when its passenger side inflator ruptured, shot out hot shrapnel, and caused the dashboard to ignite. The driver suffered light burns to the cheek during the crash, according to Reuters. Nissan has covered this model of X-Trail under its Takata recall in Japan since April 2013, but a company spokesperson told Reuters that the driver didn't receive the notice. The inflator in the crossover was made at Takata's factory in Moses Lake, WA. This was Nissan's first case in Japan of one of these parts rupturing. While a root cause isn't known, the problem with these components is believed to come from moisture getting into the inflator and causing the propellant to ignite too quickly. The Takata airbag recall has affected millions of vehicles worldwide and has been linked to eight deaths worldwide. In May, Nissan added 1.56 million of its models globally to replace the parts. Subsequently, the company added thousands more for the passenger side in the US and Canada. According to Reuters, the company has called in 813,000 vehicles in Japan, and 85 percent of them have been repaired there. The repair rate in the US has been far lower, though. Takata is producing around a million repair kits a month, but there are 34 million affected vehicles here from 11 automakers. According to a Congressional hearing in early June, it could be years before the whole problem is properly sorted out. Related Video: Nissan Statement Nissan is aware of a June 25 2015 incident in Japan involving improper deployment of a passenger side air bag in a 2001 Nissan X-Trail. The driver of the vehicle reported minor injuries. This vehicle was already subject to a Takata recall and owner notification was made. However, for unknown reasons, the vehicle has not been remedied. Relevant authorities have been notified. This incident is subject to an ongoing investigation and no further information will be available at this time.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla Model X 0-100 video, Nissan-Renault record EV sales

A video shows that a Tesla Model X can accelerate from 0-100 mph faster than a Model S P85D. DragTimes tested a Founders Edition Tesla Model X P90D with Ludicrous Mode, and found that it did 0-60 mph in 3.178 seconds, which is faster than Tesla's stated 3.2 seconds. The 0-100 mph happened in just 7.98 seconds, which is faster than the 8.3 seconds DragTimes clocked in Model S P85D using Insane Mode. Even more impressive is that the Model X used is a seven-seater with all the boxes ticked, which means that it's lugging a lot of extra weight on the drag strip. DragTimes says it intends to do more tests with other configurations of Tesla models – perhaps we'll get to see how two vehicles with Ludicrous Mode compare. See the video above, and read more at Teslarati. Nissan and Renault saw record sales of electric vehicles in 2015. The two automakers sold 84,754 battery-powered vehicles last year, a rise of 2.5 percent. Nissan Leaf and e-NV200 sales dropped by almost 10 percent, but Leaf sales are expected to improve with the next generation. The Alliance's EV sales, though, were boosted by Renault selling 45 percent more EVs in 2015. Government incentives in France are partially responsible for Renault's success. Since they began selling them, Renault and Nissan have sold 302,000 EVs worldwide by the end of 2015. Read more at Bloomberg Business. A study finds that E20 provides higher peak load capability and thermal efficiency than gasoline in reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion. The dual-fuel combustion technique uses in-cylinder blending to optimize combustion. The study used E20 ethanol blend or gasoline blended with highway diesel or B20 biodiesel blend and compared the results. In addition to the load capacity and thermal efficiency benefits, E20 also produced fewer hydrocarbon emissions. Read more at Green Car Congress. Related Gallery Renault-Nissan Alliance at COP21 View 22 Photos News Source: Teslarati, YouTube: DragTimes, Bloomberg, Green Car Congress Green Nissan Tesla Renault Alternative Fuels Ethanol Green Automakers Electric Videos recharge wrapup