10.04.2011
, YOKOHAMA, Japan
COO Toshiyuki Shiga interview at CEATEC JAPAN 2011
Q1. Here at CEATEC, we can see lots of future uses for electric vehicles. How do you see these kind of applications developing in the next five or ten years in the context of Nissan’s EV plans?
Shiga: Actually, Nissan exhibited for the first time at CEATEC five years ago. At that time and until today, there has been no other automotive manufacturer that has exhibited their products. But now, the digital IT, electric appliances industry and the automotive industry are moving closer. There are many electric vehicles here so maybe CEATEC has provided a lot of hints for future products.
Today, it’s energy management, IT and digital [technologies for managing energy consumption], and technologies for connecting electric vehicles to houses. So there are a lot of hints that CEATEC is providing for the automotive industry.
Q2. At CEATEC, you’re speaking alongside Mitsubishi Motors Corp. President Osamu Masuko. How do see the relationship expanding between Nissan and Mitsubishi in the next few years?
Shiga: Nissan and Mitsubishi has a collaboration for “kei-cars” in Japan and now we are in the development stage for the next generation of “kei-cars.”
But its not only for these areas. We have many opportunities to have further cooperation especially when Mitsubishi is also a provider of electric vehicles. To promote the infrastructure for corporations and for local governments and so on… I think we can have more opportunities [to work] together.
Q3. Was the recently ended setsuden period a success and do you foresee similar measures being reintroduced in future?
Shiga: This time, as an emergency measure, we shifted from [working] on Thursdays and Fridays, to Saturdays and Sundays. The result is good in stabilizing the usage of electricity from Monday to Sundays. I believe the automotive industry and Nissan Motor contributes to the power saving.
On the other hand, [we needed] a lot of patience from the employees, and not only the employees but also the families and community people to support this working shift. So I think we had to take the emergency act under the current situation, but this is not a sustainable way for power saving.