United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, through his initiative on Sustainable Energy for All, is challenging governments and private companies to use traditional energy resources more efficiently and expand the use of renewable energy sources.

I’ve agreed to help find solutions because this issue is critical to the future of my industry – auto making. About 25% of global oil output is used to fuel cars and light trucks. That’s about 1 billion tons of petrol a year. Meanwhile, the planet’s demographics and energy needs are shifting dramatically. In my lifetime, the world’s population has grown from 2.7 billion to more than 7 billion people. In 1999, consumers in China bought 600,000 vehicles. Last year, Chinese consumers bought more than 17 million vehicles.

For millions of consumers joining the middle class across the developing world, a car is the first thing they want to buy. In the United States, there are about 800 cars per 1,000 people; across Europe, it’s an average of 500 vehicles per 1,000 people. This contrasts with China, where there are only 50 vehicles per 1,000 people, and India, where it’s 15.

People living in these countries – and other emerging markets that will drive global economic growth in the decades ahead –want the same level of personal mobility consumers enjoy in advanced economies today.

Deep beneath the earth, 100 miles south east of Nashville, Tennessee, lies a marvel of nature. The Cumberland Caverns, which stretch for more than 27 miles/43 km, are among the largest caves in the world. And now they’ve become the latest proving ground for Nissan LEAF.

Carved out by nature over the past three million years, the Caverns are a mecca for visitors, adventurers… and for music fans from all over America.

Fancy driving from Canada all the way down to the Mexico border without any tailpipe emissions? Well, before long, drivers in America will be able to do just that.

The first stage of the West Coast Electric Highway has been opened, giving drivers of electric vehicles a network of charging stations covering the southern Oregon corridor of the Interstate 5 highway.

Situated at roughly 25 mile/40 km intervals, the first eight charging stations were officially opened last week. Two further stations will be opened in the spring to cover a stretch of I-5 almost 300 miles/480 kms long.

Professional driver Michael Krumm and his wife, Japanese tennis legend Kimiko Date-Krumm, will soon take ownership of a Nissan LEAF. In this video interview, German-born Krumm talks about their decision to drive a zero-emission car.

Krumm, one of three drivers taking the wheel of the new Nissan DeltaWing at the Sebring endurance race in Florida this weekend, also describes his passion for testing EVs and their potential future in racing.

Amsterdam - In the European capital estimated to have more bicycles than people, Amsterdam’s zero-emission push is finding a 21st Century foothold: electric taxis.

Last November, private company TAXI-E began service of a green fleet of 10 Nissan LEAFs in the city called “The Venice of the North”.

Each one of Amsterdam’s 3,000 taxis normally emits up to 35 times more carbon dioxide than a regular car.

And that, to TAXI-E founders Ruud Zandvliet and Edvard Hendriksen, signaled a green-field opportunity.

“Funny enough, we saw the Nissan LEAF entering the market and that was, for us, the moment we thought it’s probably possible to start a successful taxi business using electric cars powered on green energy, and we can greenify a traditionally polluting market,” said Zandvliet.

Renault ZOE is undoubtedly one of the most significant cars at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The reason? It brings electric vehicles closer to the mass market by being seriously affordable.

The compact hatchback, purpose designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, is being shown at Geneva in its final production form prior to sales starting in the autumn. In France, prices will start at just €15,700.

As well as being truly innovative, it’s also one of the most usable EVs yet created, with a range of 210km (NEDC)… the first mass-market EV capable of such a distance between charges.

Perhaps it’s something to do with wanting to preserve the clean mountain air, but the Geneva Motor Show was the first international auto show to open a dedicated ‘Green Pavilion’ where manufacturers could showcase alternative and eco technologies.

For the 2012 Salon, Geneva’s Green Pavilion is bigger than ever… and that’s thanks in part to the ever-increasing range of pure electric vehicles from the Alliance. Visitors can take test drives on a special circuit in Nissan LEAF, the car that really kicked off the EV revolution, as well as in three EVs from Renault – Fluence Z.E., Twizy and Kangoo Z.E.

But proving that green technology is now mainstream, there’s even more EV news from the Alliance inside the main Salon halls. Star of the Renault stand is the now production-ready ZOE, a compact hatchback that promises to bring electric vehicles to a much wider audience thanks to its highly affordable price tag.

Sub-zero temperatures, piping hot chocolate, world leaders, entrepreneurs, issues, solutions… and electric vehicles. That, in a nutshell, sums up the week spent by the Renault-Nissan Alliance team in Davos, Switzerland, during the 2012 World Economic Forum.
 
Watch our video to see a recap of what we got up to, meet a few of our visitors and hear from the Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn and Renault's COO Carlos Tavares amongst others. Also, see the Nissan LEAF and the Renault Fluence Z.E. in action.
 

Yokohama - Jan. 30 - Sustainable mobility takes to the open water, as Nissan launches its first energy-efficient, coastal car carrier, the Nichioh Maru. 

The maker of the first mass-marketed, 100% electric vehicle – the Nissan LEAF – now employs an eco vessel nicknamed “Roro” – for roll-on and roll-off pick-ups and deliveries.

At one-and-a-half football fields in length, the carrier took four years to complete and began its maiden voyage January 27.
 

Renault’s Chief Operating Office, Carlos Tavares, has found plenty of good news at the 2012 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

He tells us that although he knew the Davos Forum would be a great place for brainstorming and for debate, he was pleasantly surprised that the atmosphere was not as gloomy as he thought it would be. “Beyond what we hear in the media, I found people here who have significant hope, we will find solutions for the problems we are facing”, he said.

See what he has to say...