The Thailand eco-car programme requires vehicles to have low fuel consumption of at least 47mpg and CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less – and now Nissan will be the first automaker to launch a saloon car in the country that meets the criteria.
The new Nissan Almera is the vehicle in question. It is powered by a 1.2litre, three-cylinder engine with a maximum output of 79PS and a maximum torque of 106Nm. It is available with both a five-speed manual transmission and Nissan’s continuously variable transmission the XTRONIC-CVT; along with an idling stop system. Its fuel consumption is 47mpg and CO2 emissions are 120g/km.
It is built on the V-platform, which has been designed to boost fuel efficiency through its lightweight design and body rigidity.
It is actually the second model built on the V-platform – following on from the Nissan March. That was the first hatchback eco-car in Thailand and Nissan hopes to become the leader in the country’s eco-car segment. It was released last year and sales reached 28,000 units – far surpassing its initial sales target. It also scooped Thailand’s “Most Environmentally Friendly Car of the Year” and the “Best Passenger Car under 1200cc” awards.
