Technology developed by Nissan for the 100% electric Nissan Leaf will be used in an electric bus project that starts real-world testing next month (February 2018) in Kumamoto City in western Japan, with the goal of making zero-emission public transit more widespread and affordable.
Led by Kumamoto University, the initiative brings together talent and expertise from the automotive industry, government and academia. It is part of the university’s ongoing involvement with a Japanese Ministry of Environment project that aims to reduce or eliminate CO2 and other emissions from larger vehicles such as buses and trucks.
A major obstacle in creating large electric vehicles has been the high cost of development and parts, including batteries and electric motors. By using technology already conceived and perfected by Nissan, the cost of manufacturing electric buses can be greatly reduced.
The bus, named “Yoka ECO Bus”, will feature three batteries, three electric motors and an inverter from the Nissan Leaf, the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. Nissan is also developing a dedicated gearbox for the bus and offering technical support. The company hopes the technology can help the project achieve its goal of creating environmentally friendly buses for public transportation systems in Japan.
Nissan actively supports environmental programs and regional revitalisation activities focused on energy use and the adoption of electric vehicles. Vehicle electrification is a key part of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company’s vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society. 
Read more about the second-generation Nissan Leaf.
Read about NTU’s project with Volvo to develop and test autonomous electric buses in Singapore.
