SACRAMENTO, California — Honda may be depending on actresses like Jamie Lee Curtis to promote its hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity, but Nissan is taking a different pop-culture approach. It announced on November 24 that it has leased an X-Trail fuel-cell vehicle to Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling.
This gave Nissan the chance to have some fun with vehicle graphics. The X-Trail fuel cell is emblazoned on the side with a Coca-Cola Zero bottle, a silhouette of a driver enjoying a Coke and the slogan "Zero Means Zero!"
The X-Trail FCV is being used by the bottler for sales calls and public events in the Sacramento area promoting Coca-Cola Zero.
"Sacramento already has the beginning of a hydrogen infrastructure in place, and Sacramento Coca-Cola has a track record of utilizing low-emissions cars, so the two companies share a green philosophy," said Eric Nozier, Nissan North America vice president of corporate planning.
This is Nissan's first commercial fuel-cell-vehicle lease in North America.
Honda rolled out its customer lease program in July 2008, when Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester of Southern California took delivery of an FCX Clarity. Celebrities such as actresses Jamie Lee Curtis and Q'orianka Kilcher followed. Honda said it intends to lease the vehicle to about 200 customers through 2011.
Inside Line says: It still may be awhile before the X-Trail fuel-cell vehicle ends up in your driveway, but this is just a little appetizer to keep up your interest. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Add A Comment »