Nissan named Takashi Shirakawa as its head of research and development in Europe, effective April 1. Shirakawa, 46, has over two decades of experience with Nissan’s research and development department with a research emphasis on emissions reductions for diesel engines.
US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz today highlighted improvements to the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program at the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Legislative Summit.
Beijing Automotive Group, Daimler’s Chinese partner, said it wants to buy a “mid to high-end brand” in Europe or the United States to boost its global presence and it already has candidates in mind.
New biodiesel rules in the Canadian province of Ontario came into effect on 1 April, and are being phased in over three years.
By 2017, the amount of biofuel blended into regular diesel will need to average at least 4%. Greenhouse gases must be reduced by at least 30%, and 70% by 2017, for the biofuel portion of the new blend.
Infiniti named former Ford executive Francois Goupil de Bouille as head of its European operations to succeed Fintan Knight, who Infiniti said had “elected to pursue interests outside of the company.”
Knight, a former Audi and BMW executive, had been in the post for less than a year. He joined Infiniti on May 1, 2013 from Lamborghini, where he was head of sales and marketing.
