Nissan to show X-TRAIL diesel prototype

9 June 2008

Nissan Motor will showcase the X-TRAIL SUV diesel prototype at the 2008 Integrated Exhibition of the Environment in Hokkaido (June 19-21), as well at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit (July 7-9). Nissan said it plans to launch the vehicle—the company’s first “clean diesel”—in Japan this fall, along with a diesel version of the Maxima.

The X-TRAIL is powered by the M9R diesel engine, co-developed with Renault (the Renault version is known as the 2.0 dCi). The engine features 1600 bar piezo common rail injection system, variable nozzle turbochargers, and an emission control system based on a diesel particulate filter and a NOx adsorber catalyst. Sophisticated control system is used for “precise modulation of the DPF and catalysts in tandem with the driving conditions”, said Nissan.

The vehicle meets the JP 2009 emission standards (NOx = 0.08 g/km; PM = 0.005 g/km). Nissan is also developing a US version of its diesel engine to meet the more stringent Tier 2 Bin 5 (NOx = 0.07 g/mi) or possibly even the Tier 2 Bin 2 (NOx = 0.02 g/mi) standards.

The introduction of diesel engines is driven in part by the Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental plan, under which the company aims to introduce new technologies, products and services that can lead to real-world reductions in vehicle CO₂ emissions.

Source: Nissan