VANCOUVER --Demonstrations of the Nissan X-Trail Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) will be taking place at Globe 2006, a biennial trade fair and conference on business and the environment.

Nissan recognizes that FCVs will play an increasingly important role as a clean energy vehicle, and as such, has been systematically investing in these technologies for many years and developing FCVs that aim to achieve excellent environmental and energy-saving capability.

Nissan recently undertook an initiative in B.C. to put its newest fuel cell-equipped vehicle to the test. The new 70 megapascal (MPa) high-pressure hydrogen-powered Nissan X-Trail FCV arrived in Canada for testing in February in and around the Greater Vancouver Area.

Together with the assistance of Powertech Labs, Nissan is working hard to make the benefits of fuel cells and their promise of high efficiency and zero emissions a viable reality.

The 70 MPa high-pressure hydrogen-powered Nissan X-Trail FCV is the company's most-recent developmental fuel cell vehicle. Equipped with the first-ever Nissan-constructed fuel cell stack, the X-Trail FCV also boasts a more compact design and increased power.

A previous 2003 model offered a cruising range of 350 km, but thanks to improved stack efficiency and a 30 percent increase in the high-pressure hydrogen cylinder's storage capacity, the new X-Trail FCV is expected to achieve a cruising range of more than 500 km.

The Nissan FCV employs elements of a variety of technologies, including electric vehicle (EV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and compressed natural gas vehicle (CNGV) technologies.

Nissan has been working on FCV development since 1996. In addition to design and engineering work conducted in Japan, extensive testing and development has also been conducted in other markets, including the United States, where Nissan is a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP).

Public-road driving tests have been conducted in Japan since 2002 using prototype FCVs approved by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Nissan also began leasing its X-TRAIL FCV to a limited number of customers, starting with oil refiner Cosmo Oil Co. in March 2004.

About Nissan Canada Inc.

Nissan Canada Inc. is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. With offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC), Nissan Canada directly employs 290 staff, while 146 independent businesses hold exclusive Nissan dealerships and 29 hold Infiniti dealerships.

About Powertech Labs Inc.

Powertech is recognized internationally for its expertise in fuel storage and delivery systems for compressed gas fuelled vehicles, and is the only provider in the world of 70 MPa hydrogen filling stations. With over 18 years experience with high-pressure fuel systems for vehicles, Powertech dedicates its expertise to the testing of hydrogen and CNG rather than their production, to ensure that the products entering the marketplace are reliable and certified.