Nissan closer to small hybrids, but not sold yet

No more HSD for Nissan

At a technology briefing regarding Nissan's electric vehicle plans, Executive Vice President Mitsuhiko Yamashita said "Japan's No.3 automaker had made no final decision about actually offering small and mid-sized hybrid vehicles, but said the technology may be necessary for consumers who need fuel-efficient, all-purpose cars that have the same driving range as conventional gasoline or diesel cars," reports Reuters.

While claiming that zero emission vehicles would be the ideal path forward, Yamashita acknowledged that electric vehicles "might take a while"; therefore, small and medium sized hybrid vehicles could provide a good interim - and probably more cost-effective - offering.

Conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electric cars, can forward-looking automakers afford not to produce all three?