Yasuaki Hashimoto: Nissan will develop

　　September 3, 2010, China Automotive Industry Development Forum entitled the reputation of “Automotive Industry Davos” held in Tianjin Binhai New Area.

　　Focus on the annual theme of he restructuring and upgrade of China automobile industry, the senior leadership from government, industry and corporations will start in-depth discussion. More than 600 government officials, industry leaders, business leaders and scholars have participated in this forum. On the spot, SOHU AUTO interviewed Yasuaki Hashimoto, the Managing Director of Nissan (China).

　　SOHU AUTO: We are very pleased to our old friend invite Yasuaki Hashimoto. Please say hello to the SOHU users.

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: Hello, everybody.

　　SOHU AUTO: Mr. Hashimoto’s Chinese is quite good. We would like to have a brief understanding what kind of views you bring to this forum?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: last year the sales of China reached 13 million units. According to the circumstances of this year, the sales may reach 17 million units or more, therefore, although China automotive industry is still in a developing stage, China has already become the world’s largest auto market.

　　It can be said that China has already occupied the world’s leader position. In this state, I think is an excellent opportunity for China auto industry to carry out the industrial restructuring.

　　SOHU AUTO: as consumers are most concerned, the Nissan model will be tested in China tomorrow. Since we know auto manufacturers are competing with each other fiercely in the new energy vehicle field, what role does Nissan hope to play in China?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: the development of new energy vehicles, in particular, the electric vehicles, I think is entirely different from the regular gasoline cars. We are facing a varied of issues such as the use of electric vehicles, charging facilities, supporting facilities as well as battery recycling. The competition is quite fierce, which I do not think is a bad thing. I hope that more people are concerned about and join in the development of electric vehicles, which can promote more rapid development of electric vehicles in China.

　　SOHU AUTO: the other Japanese brands have their own hybrid models, why did not Nissan introduce such a model. You mentioned that hybrid is a medium-term solution and Nissan will directly enter the ultimate stage. Does Nissan have such plans to launch hybrids or you are only concerned with the development of pure electrics?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: in fact, we are about to launch our hybrids recently but the specific time can not be released. As to the electric vehicles, we do not have big differences with Toyota and Honda. In terms of the protection of the environment, we are sharing the same ideas. Only that we want to promote the more rapid development of electric vehicles. We just have some gap with Toyota and Honda in the speed to promote the electric cars.

　　SOHU AUTO: in terms of the hybrid R & D you mentioned, Nissan are in the same phase with other Japanese brands or you are just catching up?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: about the research and development, I do not know about other companies. However, any corporation will carry out such basic research. Take our Nissan for an example; the LEAF has taken us twenty years. It is the same with the hybrids; we need to study the right proportion of the electricity and gasoline. It does not mean we do not have hybrids or Honda and Toyota have no electric vehicles. We have to consider the right time to commercialize our products.

　　SOHU AUTO: personally, like the LEAF and have great hopes for the Nissan hybrids, in which market will the model be launched firstly?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: the specified time can not be released because it is finalized. As to the markets, certainly it depends on the demands. There are many factors to be considered, such as the regulations on fuel economy and emissions. In China, the policies on displacements are very strict.

　　SOHU AUTO: Nissan has positively joined in the electric car standard setting in Japan and the infrastructure development of charge piles. So have other Japanese car companies. How will your evaluate the progress made by other Japanese companies in the areas of new energy vehicles?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: in terms of the Standardization and the development of fast chargers in Japan, not only Nissan, but also many other auto companies such as Toyota and Honda together with the government departments engage in. The same is true in China. We hope other car manufacturers are also involved in. the reunification of the whole infrastructure should be built all together. Only under the same specifications, the electric cars can be actively developed.

　　SOHU AUTO: You said that the standard of electric cars and charging standard, all countries and markets have their own views. In China, there are many Chinese companies themselves, or a number of alliances have done some electrical car standard setting. What is the situation in Japan?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: in Japan, like you said, the car manufacturers have reached more uniform consensus on the standard specifications because if there is no uniformity, the development of electric vehicles will come across a big obstacles. In Japan, no company wants to steal this initiative. Instead, all the companies are making effort to one direction. After the standards are set up, we then begin to develop our own products.

　　SOHU AUTO: I admire your approach very much. Currently, China has some alliances set up by JVs and a coalition of electric cars built by central enterprises. However, they have no standard specifications. How do you think China electric car alliance?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: In fact, this is a problem to be solved before the competition. In China, the situation will exist at the initial stage, but it will gradually be resolved. You just mentioned the alliance organized by SAC with 16 manufacturers, including car companies, battery companies, as well as companies like Power Grid. It should be said the formation of the alliance is beneficial in promoting the development of electric vehicles.

　　SOHU AUTO: is Nissan interested in joining the alliance?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: I heard the alliance for the first time just now in the report. If there is such a chance, we will surely hold a positive attitude to study and discuss the issue of accession.

　　SOHU AUTO: For a long time, China auto industry has learned a lot from the Japanese auto industry, I am curious about in Japan, is the government the main guidance of the electric vehicle industry or just the an auxiliary that provides some preferential policies for electric cars?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: in Japan, I feel the Japanese government’s role is more an auxiliary compared to the China. To reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Japan is quite an important topic; the Government has to do its task. It has no dominance like Chinese government. In Japan, the private enterprises and the government share the responsibility together, nearly according to the proportion of 50%:50%.

　　SOHU AUTO: as we all know, Nissan attach importance to the cooperation with cities in China attention. Till now, you have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wuhan and Guangzhou. Do you have specific timetable to sign cooperation projects related to electric vehicles with Tianjin in the next step?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: in terms of this aspect, we will surely expand the scope. But presently it is not clear which cities will be chosen. In the future, depending on specific situation, we will consider the five key cities as well as other suitable cities.

　　SOHU AUTO: in the United States LEAF is priced 33,000 and GM’s Volt 40,000. What do you think of the market position of these two models?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: Objectively speaking, it is a pity that now the prices of electric car are relatively high. The costs and sales price reeducation can be realized by mass-production and technology upgrading as well as the government’s concessions. As to the cost competitiveness, I can say that Nissan has reached a worldwide high level, or even in the first place. The In fact, the technological level can be directly measured by the costs. Although our electric cars are being developed, I am still very confident in the competitiveness and technologies.

　　SOHU AUTO: I have heard Toyota’s Prius is now facing a small problem, when driving at low speed on electric power, there almost no sound, which will cause safety hazards to pedestrians. Now the automaker is considering the installation of a small system to warn pedestrians. LEAF is even more outstanding in this aspect, do you have similar considerations?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: after the interview, you may personally drive the leaf to feel when the speed is lower than 20 km per hour, we have a technology that will make sound artificially, warning the pedestrians that behind or by the side a car is coming or moved.

　　SOHU AUTO: when can consumers in the first-line cities such as Beijing and Shanghai purchase LEAF?

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: Our current objective is to put the model into demonstration operation in Wuhan next year. But we still need to see the whether the overall environment can meet the requirements for the development of electric cars

　　SOHU AUTO: Thanks very much for Mr. Yasuaki Hashimoto to accept our interview.

　　Yasuaki Hashimoto: I have a very large desire that you drive our electric car personally because I want you to experience the acceleration and quiety. We want the comsuemers can get known about the electric cars. Since people seoldme get contact with electric vehicles, please test drives LEAF on behalf of the wide consumers.

　　SOHU AUTO: Thanks a lot!

　　(Translator: Yalong/Jessie)

　　See original Chinese report Please click:

　　http://auto.sohu.com/20100904/n274708248.shtml