Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 9) - Nissan China has announced a sales target of 1.25 million vehicles for this year, the Beijing Times reported today. The announcement was made by Nissan China President Takashi Nishibayashi in an interview done by the paper at the recently concluded Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition. The sales goal is on par with the number of vehicles Nissan sold in the country in 2011. An excerpt of the interview with Mr. Nishibayashi and Dongfeng Nissan President Kimiyasu Nakamura follows below.
Beijing Times: "Please give us a brief synopsis regarding [Nissan China's] sales operations and sales targets for this year."
Mr. Nishibayashi: "Our passenger vehicle retail sales have already recovered to last year's levels. Our sales last year totaled 1.18 million vehicles. With the help of the New Teana (pictured) and New Livina models, which have gained a lot of praise from Chinese consumers, we expect to fulfill our sales target of 1.25 million vehicles this year. In 2011, our sales totaled 1.25 million vehicles, meaning that our sales target for this year is in line with 2011 levels. We will work hard over the latter half of the year to reach the overall growth level of the Chinese automobile market."
Beijing Times: "In recent years hybrid-powered vehicles have received more attention in government policies. In Nissan Motor's next step to develop in the Chinese new energy vehicle market, will it focus on pure electric vehicles or hybrid-powered vehicles?"
Mr. Nakamura: "As a pioneer in the zero-emission automobile field, Nissan Motor confirmed during [its] mid-term development strategy that it will focus on pure electric vehicles. The goal of our strategy will not change. We have already begun on-site EV testing in Wuhan, Guangzhou and Dalian. We plan to supply the municipal government of Dalian with 1,000 Venucia pure electric vehicles for testing by 2014, with full production slated to begin in 2015. As a pioneer of zero-emission vehicles, we hope to make further contributions to the saving of energy and reduction of emissions in China."
