The year 2011 is a year of celebration for employees at the Renault Nissan Alliance India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) as the Company has crossed yet another milestone by producing the 100,000 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre HR12DE petrol engines in a record period of 15 months. Earlier, the alliance plant had achieved a milestone by producing 100,000 Micra cars in a record period of 13 months.
The plant started manufacturing the petrol engine in May 2010 and has crossed the 100,000 mark by last month. Besides the 1.2 litre petrol engine, the plant has also started manufacturing the 1.5 litre petrol engine for the new mid-size Sedan SUNNY.
Commenting on the new milestone achievement Mr. Kou Kimura, CEO and MD, RNAIPL said, “the plant has set milestones that are creditable on a global level. It makes me feel proud of the local skill-set that are driving it to such high levels. I dedicate this achievement to the people of Tamil Nadu for their endearing spirit and zeal to achieve such high levels of commitment in their work and passion for the company”.
The Nissan Micra is the first car to have a HR12DE engine that was developed in pursuit of lighter weight and a smaller size than previous engines in the compact car class. It requires fewer moving parts compared to the more commonly used 4-cylinder engines. By applying bore circularity machining to the cylinder block, friction is reduced by 20 per cent compared to the conventional 4-cylinder engines. Moreover, improved noise vibration performance at a level equivalent to that of a 4-cylinder engine has been achieved by adjusting the weight balance of the engine’s rotary shaft. This helps to increase the power output, higher fuel efficiency and the life of the engine.
The petrol engine range is part of the project called ‘Nissan Green Project 2010,’ which is an initiative taken by the Company to reduce the carbon footprint of its cars. The company has been working relentlessly to make its engines more efficient and is committed to global leadership in zero emission mobility.
