Nissan's Ghosn
Cautious about Hybrid Cars
November 28, 2005 — By Kyodo News International, Tokyo
TOKYO — Carlos Ghosn, chief executive
officer of Nissan Motor Co., said Friday he remains "cautious" about
producing hybrid cars until it is clear there is a real demand for them.
"Hybrid is a serious technology and it may be a very competitive
technology," he told a press conference in Tokyo, "But until a consumer
decides what he wants, we are cautious," he added, even though Nissan is
launching a new hybrid car next year in the United States and will
continue to put resources into the development of the technology.
"Until it is definitively established which technology is the final
answer to the environmental question, we need to systematically pursue
all solutions: diesel, ethanol, hydrogen, electric and hybrid," he said.
The savior of the once-troubled Japanese automaker also was critical of
the way that the media are talking up eco-friendly cars even though
consumers are not really buying into the concept.
Meanwhile, Ghosn, also CEO of Renault SA, emphasized the synergetic
effect of the alliance between Nissan and the French automaker.
He pointed out Renault's $5.4 billion investment in 1999 is now worth
$21 billion.
As for its future plans, Nissan expects to achieve global sales of 4.2
million units by fiscal 2008 and obtain an average 20 percent return on
invested capital over the course of the plan, Ghosn explained.
To see more of Kyodo News International, go to http://www.kyodonews.com
Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
|