Nissan Announces New Clean Diesel Technology, X-Trail Diesel Model

Automotive News

Nissan appears to be ramping up its commitment to diesel technology based on two significant announcements here on Monday. The Japanese automaker said it will launch a new clean diesel for use in the X-Trail in Japan in the fall of 2008. In addition, Nissan said a new clean diesel technology shows "great promise" and may be able to meet California's standard for super-ultralow-emissions vehicles, one of the toughest in the world. The details of the clean diesel in the X-Trail, which is not sold in the United States, are fairly sketchy. Nissan said performance and specifications will be released closer to its introduction next year. It said the X-Trail's diesel will be based on the "M9R engine co-developed with Alliance-partner Renault" and will use high-performance catalysts and advanced engine management technologies. "This clean diesel engine is being developed to lower exhaust gas emissions to levels comparable to those of new emissions standards in Japan," it said.

Of perhaps greater importance to U.S. consumers, Nissan also announced that its new clean diesel technology will "be able to achieve cleaner diesel emissions in future vehicles that will meet the stringent SULEV standards set by the state of California." The company's statement says "Nissan plans to do further research and development of the clean diesel technology for commercial application in its future products."

The new technology reduces diesel emissions by using three components: high-performance catalysts, advanced engine control systems and "modulated-kinetic combustion," Nissan said.