Nissan Exec Bares Plans to make Batteries as Core Business

Nissan Motor Co. chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn on Monday revealed plans to make rechargeable electric car batteries as one of its core businesses as the carmaker eyes future development of zero-emission all-electric vehicles.

In a news conference ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, Ghosn said that the future of the car industry lies on alternative fuel source and Nissan plans to make battery manufacturing as one of its key businesses.

“We already have the technology to make these innovative batteries and we are ready to sell them to whoever is interested. We are going to make batteries for electric cars as one of our core businesses because we think that zero-emission all-electric cars are going to be an essential piece of technology in the future,” he added.

“Electric car development, along with the batteries that goes along with it, is a long-term investment. For electric or fuel-cell cars, the heart of the system is the battery,” Ghosn said.Nissan stands as the third largest automaker in Japan. In 2010, the company will release its most anticipated electric car model called the Leaf.

It will also be featured in the Tokyo Motor Show, which will be opened on Wednesday. The public viewing will start on Saturday.According to Nissan executives, the Leaf, which is a mid-sized hatchback, is the most affordable zero-emission vehicle. The car can travel more than 160 km on a single charge with a top speed of 140 km per hour.