Nissan Reserves a New Name for Potential Alternative Fuel

The Nissan brand has been one that we view as being smart about changes and they have filed for a name that could mean new fuel for driving.

Many of the vehicles offered are visual works of art, some are extremely useful, and the Leaf is the most popular electric vehicle ever built.  As a brand that has experienced significant success in the global automotive market, when Nissan decides to move forward with a project, we should pay close attention. A new name has been reserved in the European market that would give us a hint at what we might expect from a company we know and trust.

The Nissan Reservation that Makes Us Think

Nissan has filed a trademark application with the European Intellectual Property Office for the name “h-Power” wording. This name could hint at a few different possibilities for the brand. This could mean Nissan is working toward more hybrid vehicles for the market in Europe, which is probably not the case. This name reservation gives us more confidence to think the brand is working on building more hydrogen vehicles and offering them in this market. With the current movement in Japan, thinking hydrogen makes much more sense than more hybridization from this brand.

Recent Actions May Change Our Minds

Even though we think the name “h-Power” will be used for a hydrogen electric vehicle of the future, the fact that Nissan backed out of a project for a hydrogen vehicle with Daimler and Ford gives pause to this thought process. Is it possible the reason Nissan backed out is that the project was geared toward the North American market, which has shown to be a place where this alternative fuel is slow to catch on? Possibly, putting a focus in Europe will allow hydrogen to catch on much faster and gain ground needed to become useful.

Hydrogen Making a Mark in Japan Through Nissan

So far, the most popular market for hydrogen fuel in Japan. There are currently 100 hydrogen refueling stations in this small country with more than 100 more that will be added in the next few years. Nissan is part of a consortium of Japanese automakers that has the goal of making this added access to hydrogen a reality. The alliance is called the Japan H2 Mobility and it also includes other automotive giants of Honda and Toyota. With more stations, more people will choose hydrogen ad their way to help save the environment.

Will “h-Power” Make its Mark in Europe

The question of whether or not hydrogen is the reason for the reservation will be answered soon enough. What we really want to know is whether or not the European market will embrace hydrogen as the alternative fuel source that makes a huge difference in the market. If this fuel is able to be used in Europe, there’s a good chance the North American market will pay much closer attention and begin to use this fuel and offer more hydrogen refueling stations around the market. Hydrogen could eventually be the alternative fuel that catches on more quickly than electricity because of the ease of use.