There's the all-electric Nissan Leaf EV currently available at Firkins Nissan in Bradenton - but one day you may be driving a plug-in Nissan Versa. That one day could come in the year 2016, when the the auto maker plans to develop a new plug-in hybrid.

This is part of their plan known as "Nissan Green Program 2016" or NGP 2016. The program focuses on reducing the company's carbon footprint, as well as shifting to renewable energy.

"Nissan wants to be part of the solution toward a sustainable society - for the sake of the planet and as a significant competitive advantage and a strategic differentiator in the global manufacturing sector," said Nissan President Carlos Ghosn.¹

Ghosn believes consumers are looking for vehicles which "reflect their environmental values."

Future models from the Japanese auto maker are part of this strategy, which includes the improvement of corporate fuel economy by 35%, compared with 2005 levels that are much lower. Nissan will launch vehicles designed, and upgrade class-leading fuel economy across the range of vehicles in the US, Europe, China and Japan.

Source:

¹http://gas2.org/2011/10/23/next-mitsubishi-evo-will-be-diesel-hybrid-fast/