• Detroit News, Friday, December 8, 2006 11:31 AM

Nissan does not expect its gas-electric Altima, the first hybrid model produced by the Japanese automaker, to be profitable. It is only bringing it to market to comply with California's strict emissions regulations, according to Dominique Thormann, Nissan North America's senior vice president for administration and finance. The hybrid Altima goes into production next week in Tennessee and goes on sale next year.

The new Altima is estimated to get 41 miles per gallon in the city and 36 mpg on the highway--significantly topping non-hybrid versions. But consumers don't want to pay the price for the cost of the hybrid, according to Thormann. "Somewhere there's got to be a reason why people will go toward that technology," he says.

Read the whole story at Detroit News »