2014 Nissan Versa Note S Plus on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Nissan paint prank involves 'world's cleanest' Leaf

If you want attention, then there's nothing like a good prank to get people looking. Nissan is taking a page from the old Candid Camera playbook to show off a new self-cleaning nano-paint technology called Ultra-Ever Dry. Turns out, when you spill a water-based paint on it, the paint just drips right off. And with enough hidden cameras, you can get the perfect passersby "Oh! Huh?" face on film. Part of the "World's Cleanest Car" campaign that Nissan had at the LA Auto Show, the stunt is meant to highlight the fact that the car is clean (i.e., zero emissions) and also clean (not dirty). Get it? Ha! Yeah, well, that's the joke. It works better on video, which you can see below. While the paint thing is mildly interesting (this isn't a production car, and Ultra-Ever Dry is just an example of what could be coming) we did find it notable that this is the first main Leaf campaign we can think of that promotes the car not as a plug-in vehicle first (remember the polar bear?) but as a car with some wacky cool new tech. Oh, and it happens to plug in. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. NISSAN'S "SELF-CLEANING LEAF" HITS THE STREETS, THEN THE WEB – "World's cleanest car" to be featured in an innovative social media campaign starting today – NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 2, 2014) –The "world's cleanest car" is daring its fans to get it dirty. Starting today, Nissan will launch a social media campaign that will include a series of online videos to showcase a zero-emissions Nissan LEAF with self-cleaning nano-paint technology. Created to demonstrate its potential use in future production vehicles, this LEAF is armed with Ultra-Ever Dry® paint to help repel almost any liquid that may come its way. Nissan first introduced the one-of-a-kind LEAF this past April. "The LEAF is already one of the cleanest vehicles around even without this incredibly innovative paint technology; that said, we're not afraid to get our hands dirty to take this to the next level," said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. "Getting fans involved via this social media campaign is a fun, creative way to show how the LEAF can stay clean no matter how dirty the world around it may be.

Uber promises 100% electric cars by 2040, commits $800 million to help drivers switch

Uber Technologies Inc on Tuesday said every vehicle on its global ride-hailing platform will be electric by 2040, and it vowed to contribute $800 million through 2025 to help drivers switch to battery-powered vehicles, including discounts for vehicles bought or leased from partner automakers. Uber said that vehicles on its rides platform in the United States, Canada and Europe will be zero-emission by 2030, taking advantage of the regulatory support and advanced infrastructure in those regions. Uber, which as of early February said it had 5 million drivers worldwide, said it formed partnerships with General Motors and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. In addition to the vehicle discounts, Uber said the $800 million includes discounts for charging and a fare surcharge for electric and hybrid vehicles, the cost of which would be partially offset by an additional small fee charged to customers who request a "green trip." The deals with GM and the Renault alliance focus on the U.S., Canada and Europe. Uber said it was discussing partnerships with other automakers. Uber's plan follows years of criticism by environmental groups and city officials over the pollution and congestion caused by ride-hail vehicles and calls for fleet electrification. Lyft Inc, Uber's smaller U.S. rival, in June promised to switch to 100% electric vehicles by 2030, but said it would not provide direct financial support to drivers. Uber said its goal is to reduce the overall cost of ownership for electric vehicles, which are currently more expensive than gasoline cars. The company also released data on its emission footprint and said it would publish reports going forward. Before the pandemic, electric cars accounted for only 0.15% of all U.S. and Canadian Uber trip miles — roughly in line with average U.S. electric car ownership. At around 12%, the share of plug-in hybrid and hybrid cars was roughly five times as high as the U.S. average. Ride-hail trips overall account for less than 0.6% of transportation-sector emissions, according to U.S. data, but the total number of on-demand vehicles has significantly increased since Uber's launch nearly a decade ago, with 7 billion trips last year, according to Uber's February investor presentation. Uber said its U.S. and Canadian trips with a passenger produce 41% more carbon dioxide per mile than an average private car once miles spent cruising between passengers are included. Uber's plans could be a boon to the auto industry.

Carlos Ghosn 'very comfortable' after questioning by Lebanese prosecutor

BEIRUT/TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn's lawyer said he was "very comfortable" with legal proceedings in Lebanon on Thursday, after the fugitive ex-Nissan boss was questioned over an extradition request from Japan where he faces criminal charges. Ghosn fled Japan to Lebanon, his childhood home, last month as he awaited trial on charges of under-reporting earnings, breach of trust and misappropriation of company funds, all of which he denies. His dramatic escape has raised tension between Tokyo and Beirut at a time when Lebanon is seeking an international bailout to help it tackle a deep financial crisis. Ghosn slammed the Japanese justice system at a two-hour news conference on Wednesday, prompting Japan's justice minister to launch a rare and forceful public response. After questioning in Beirut about Japan's Interpol wanted notice, two judicial sources said the prosecutor had imposed a travel ban, a step Carlos Abou Jaoude, a Beirut-based lawyer for Ghosn, described as procedural to broadcaster Al Jadeed. Lebanon has no extradition agreement with Japan. "He (Ghosn) is very comfortable with the path," Jaoude told another broadcaster, MTV, adding that Ghosn was also comfortable in himself "especially after what he went through."   Related: CES 2020 and Carlos Ghosn | Autoblog Podcast #609 Ghosn: Nissan-Renault strife and his arrest can be traced back to Macron The rise, fall and flight of Carlos Ghosn   One of the judicial sources said authorities had asked Japan for its file on Ghosn, including the charges against him, and would not question him again until the information is received. Ghosn would surrender his French passport on Thursday, he said. Ghosn said later he was more comfortable with the Lebanese judiciary than that of Japan. "I will fully cooperate," he told broadcaster LBCI. Japan's Justice Minister Masako Mori said Ghosn's allegations that he had had "zero chance" of a fair trial in Japan were unfounded. "Defendant Ghosn was looking to justify his unlawful exit from Japan by propagating a false recognition of our justice system," she said at the second of two news conferences, the first of which was held shortly after midnight. "I felt that we needed to respond immediately to broadcast a correct understanding to people around the world." Ghosn told LBCI her comments were "ridiculous." "Today my concern is clearing my name and reputation because all the accusations against me are fabricated," he told Al Jadeed. Trial in Lebanon?