Nissan Motor Co. Ltd have announced that global sales of its CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) equipped vehicles topped one million with sales of 1,088,000 in fiscal year 2007*2, accomplishing the target set under the Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental plan.

The target of 1 million sales of CVT-equipped vehicles was announced under the Nissan Green Program 2010 in December 2006. Sales of CVT-equipped vehicles quadrupled from 250,000 units in FY2004 to 1 million units in FY2007.

Currently, CVT represents approximately 28.6% of global sales, compared to 7% in FY2004.

CVT penetration varies across the regions, with the highest rate in North America*3 and Japan at 47.4% and 43.8% respectively.

Nissan was one of the first automakers to recognise the benefits of CVT such as smooth and responsive driving performance through seamless acceleration.

The first CVT was introduced in March 1992, and Nissan has continued to promote the multiple-advantages of this technology and expand the deployment of CVT across its global product line-up.

Nissan has worked continually on the development of CVT performance and efficiency.

In 2002, Nissan engineers found a solution to adapt CVT to high-torque engines and delivered the world's first CVT for large displacement engines up to 3.5 litres.

Under the Nissan Green Program 2010, the company will continue to introduce new technologies, products and services that can lead to real-world reductions in vehicle CO2 emissions, cleaner emissions, and recycling of resources.