Nissan introduces new ICT system for EVs in Nissan LEAF; new EV concept

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2010/11/nissan-20101101.html#more

1 November 2010

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. will introduce an Information and Communication Technology system (ICT) for electric vehicles (EVs). The new system will be implemented with the Nissan LEAF, slated to go on sale in Japan and the US in December, and in Europe early next year.
With the ICT system, Nissan LEAF owners are connected at all times to the data and information they need to optimize their EV experience. The NISSAN CARWINGS Data Center, an information control center, communicates with the car navigation system via the onboard Telematics Communication Unit (TCU). ICT has features unique to EVs, including EV usage history and battery conditions. Remote control for battery charging and climate control also exist. The system can be accessed by a dedicated website for EV owners, via mobile phones, smart phones and computers to manage energy usage.

Services available while driving include:

• Expected reachable area map display function: checks how far Nissan LEAF will be able to travel. Accessible by a single touch of the screen.
• Charging spot update function: automatically updates data to display the nearest charging station.
• Timer charging function: charges the battery anytime one wishes, e.g., late at night when the electricity rate is lower.

Services available before and after driving include:

• Remote control function: checks the state of battery charging, controls battery charging, estimates time to finish charging and shows a possible driving range, maintains the battery and makes failure diagnosis.
• Remote climate control function: sets air conditioning via remote control so it can be turned on before one enters the vehicle.
• Electricity rate simulation function: checks how much it costs for electricity after driving. Calculation function: calculates how much CO2 emissions were reduced by driving EV (predicted rate).
• Ranking function: Nissan LEAF owners worldwide can compete with each other in electricity consumption, traveling distance and the amount of charge produced by regenerative braking.
• Route planner function: Creates a driving plan while checking a possible driving range and charging station locations.

Based on the consent of EV owners, the Nissan CARWINGS Data Center will retain historical driving, charging and electricity consumption information globally. Based on this data, it will analyze EV driving and charging data to measure how much CO₂ is reduced through EV use and to evaluate clean energy usage.

Nissan New Mobility CONCEPT. Click to enlarge.

New EV concept. Nissan also introduced a new two-seater EV prototype, the “New Mobility CONCEPT”. The new concept car is targeted at providing a sustainable, efficient and convenient mode of transportation focusing on the increase of elderly and single households, as well as the trend of driving short-distances or in smaller groups.
Nissan will study the use of this vehicle for a variety of services, such as:

• seamless mobility service, a highly efficient and convenient public transportation service linking public transportation and EVs supported by IT;
• 2-mode EV car sharing, where the vehicle is used as a private commuter vehicle in the mornings and evenings, and as a corporate car during business hours; and
• contributing to the revitalization of communities with improved mobility in both urban and tourist locations.