Nissan Reported to Be Retooling Discontinued Altima Hybrid for 2013 Release
Published June 22, 2011
Last week, Nissan announced that it was dropping the Altima Hybrid model from its 2012 lineup. The the car licensed Toyota's hybrid drivetrain and battery technology to help Nissan meet emissions requirements in the nine U.S. states, but was never available to customers outside of those states. Critics enjoyed the added performance punch that the Altima Hybrid offered over competing hybrids, and since the non-hybrid Altima remains Nissan's best selling vehicle worldwide, producing a hybrid version of the sedan has always made sense in theory.
According to a report in AutoNews, Nissan still sees the wisdom in selling the model, and is planning to reintroduce the Altima Hybrid as early as next year. This time around though, the carmaker won't have to pay Toyota a license fee for its hybrid system.
Reportedly, the revamped Altima Hybrid will feature a front-wheel drive version of the gas-electric powertrain Nissan recently debuted in the Infiniti M Hybrid. Nissan developed its hybrid system in-house this time though, with plans to slot it into several new or existing models in the coming years. If the Altima indeed becomes one of those models, it will likely accompany a fifth-generation redesign of the car, which last received a full retooling in 2007.
Nissan's new proprietary hybrid system is built around 1.3-kWh lithium ion battery. In the M Hybrid, that battery is housed underneath the floorboard and teamed with a 360-volt motor rated at 67 hp and 199 lbs.-ft. of torque. Both gasoline and electric power are routed through the the rear-wheels in that car, but the system would be reconfigured for front-wheel drive in new Altima Hybrid.
Since Nissan produces the current iteration of the car at its Smyrna, Tenn. facilities (which will soon be home to the carmaker's brand new $1.6 billion lithium-ion battery plant,) it would make sense that both the vehicle itself and it's battery could be manufactured in the United States.
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47 weeks ago
Yeah! for Nissan. We love you, Nissan! Will you also, since you are coupled with Telsa, build a Telsa/Nissan electric auto manufacturing plant next to your new battery plant for Telsa electric cars?
47 weeks ago
It's Toyota that has the partnership with Tesla.
47 weeks ago
David! What are you trying to do, mess up my plot! Nissan and Telsa has the best all electric cars in the world (as we know it). Don't you think Nissan and Telsa could work great together? Why don't you encourage Nissan a little and help me out with this plot.
47 weeks ago
Good move.
They can apply their new Hybrid technology with Li-Ion battery in new Altima-H and also the Versa and that will compete with Prius & Insight.
47 weeks ago
Nissan has to rethink about Altima Hybrid.
Only 20% of the 20,000 units / month for Hybrids is mid-size sedans. Thats just 4,000 units / month and there are many models like Fusion, Sonata, Camry and Civic.
Since Hybrid Sedans have 25% lesser space, many people are not going towards that while the Hatches like Prius, Insight, upcoming C-Max which offer 25 % more space, they grab the bulk of the market.
With models like Prius-V, C-Max and Fit Shuttle which may offer 50% more space than mid-size Sedans, more people may move towards such vehicles.
It will make sense if Nissan applies their modern Hybrid system in Versa-Hatch than Altima. Its the hatch styled Leaf that sells better because of extra interior space.
10 weeks ago
Finally, the customers will see real Nissan vs Toyota in Nissan Shell .. Bwhaaaaa
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