Nissan’s $1.1 billion loan likely to be approved by DOE
The DOE loan that Nissan applied for to help it build electric cars and advanced batteries is likely to be approved for $1.1 billion, according to a report that cited “unidentified sources” in Kyodo News. The loan will probably speed up Nissan’s already fast-moving electric car program that is moving forward across the globe. Some of the U.S. city and state governments that are working with Nissan on EVs include Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, California; Tennessee; and Seattle. The DOE money would be used to upgrade the company’s Smyrna, Tenn., assembly plant and build a new facility for battery production.
The loan would come from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program (AVTM) fund, a $25 billion pot that the DOE set aside to help automakers get more efficient vehicles to market. Green Car Advisor says that Nissan is also asking the Development Bank of Japan for another $1.1 billion loan and has already borrowed half that much from the Japanese government.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/28/nissans-1-1-billion-loan-likely-to-be-approved-by-doe/
Fill ‘Er Up With Sunshine – Solve Climate
Fill ‘er Up with Sunshine: Green Cities Spark Demand for Solar EV Chargers
by Dan Haugen – Apr 17th, 2009
It’s known as the Windy City, but its vehicle fleet could someday be powered by the sun.
Chicago unveiled its first solar electric-vehicle charging station this month as part of a campaign to bolster the city’s green cred in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. The 2.4-kilowatt battery system is small, but it demonstrates how city vehicles might someday be powered by a completely carbon-free fuel source: the sun.
