It’s no secret that as the world’s population continues to grow, so does the demand for commodities like motor vehicles. While not necessarily needing their own cars, transport will definitely be needed to ferry more people and get them to their destination. This, in turn, puts a strain on resources like fossil fuels, which likewise lead to increased levels of air pollution.
Fortunately, all is not lost. Companies like Nissan Motor Corporation have drawn up plans for a future that will see clean and intelligent vehicles that will help contribute to a greener and safer road network. Speaking at the recently concluded First ASEAN Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Summit, which was held at the World Trade Center, Nissan Philippines Inc officials laid out the marque’s Intelligent Mobility strategy.
Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility plan involves three aspects. One of these is Intelligent Power, which sees the brand utilizing alternative energy sources in place of or to complement the Internal Combustion Engine. These include electric and hybrid vehicles. Nissan’s very own Note and its best-selling Leaf EV are prime examples. The Leaf, it must be noted, has sold over 270,000 copies since its launch in 2010—making it the best-selling mass-produced electric vehicle.
The second part is Intelligent Driving, using such systems as ProPilot. The autonomous driving system is meant to help drivers cope with the task of driving in such situations as traffic jams and more demanding road conditions. The aim is to reduce or totally eliminate road fatalities and mishaps.
Finally, Intelligent Integration aims to put in place vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-building charging models and the like. This will complement the EV and hybrid vehicle strategy by helping address such concerns as range anxiety. Moreover, it will make charging a vehicle as simple as topping up one’s mobile phone.
Nissan Philippines Inc hopes to bring all these plans to fruition in the Philippine market. And should laws like the Alternative Fuels Law be passed in Congress, then we can expect these and vehicles like the Nissan Leaf to become part of our motoring lives.
