YOKOHAMA - Nissan Motor Co. said Monday it plans to expand its lineup of hybrid gasoline-electric cars in the U.S. market as a rise in pump prices boosts demand for such models, starting with the launch of a new sport utility vehicle in November.
At a media roundtable at Nissan's headquarters in Yokohama, Christian Meunier, who oversees operations across North and South America, also noted the Japanese automaker's goal of raising the share of vehicles it sells in the United States that are produced there to 80 percent from the current 65 percent by the end of 2030 in response to aggressive U.S. tariff policies.
Acknowledging the growing demand for hybrid vehicles in one of the world's largest auto markets, Meunier said, "I think the hybrid is going to be coming by 2030, probably the primary powertrain in North America."
Nissan is seen as lagging other automakers in introducing hybrid vehicles. But the company plans to introduce a new Rogue Hybrid model in the U.S. market in November, as well as hybrid versions of larger SUVs and pickup trucks.
The new model, equipped with Nissan's third-generation e-Power hybrid system, will initially be produced at a plant operated by a subsidiary in Fukuoka Prefecture in southwestern Japan, with Meunier saying U.S. production could come in 2028.
