Nissan History
Originating in Japan when founder Yoshisuke Aikawa became president of Nihon Sangyo in 1928. Starting off in foundries and auto parts, Nihon Sangyo debuted on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by its ticker name NISSAN in 1933 and later came to the U.S. under the name Datsun in 1958.
Datsuns were the first mass-produced Japanese vehicles and made a major impact in the 50s in the U.S. market when Datsun sedans and compact pickups arrived. Nissan showcased its first Datsuns (a 1000 cc car and truck) at the 1959 Los Angeles Auto Show. To keep up with global demand, Nissan started production in Mexico in 1966.
In 1980, Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation (NMMC) was established in Smyrna, Tennessee, to fulfill the growing demand for Nissan vehicles. In 1981, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC), Nissan’s financing division, was established in Torrance, California. Today, NMAC headquarters is located in Irving, Texas. In 1989, Nissan produced our 1e-millionth vehicle on American soil, and started the Summer Institute for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
In 1991, Nissan received its first environmental award from the EPA and introduced the Future Electric Vehicle concept car. In 1997, Nissan was named “Best of the Best” by the Environmental Protection Agency, and Nissan Smyrna is lauded as the most productive plant in North America in “The Harbour Report” for a fourth consecutive year.
In 1992, the 2-millionth Nissan Sentra was sold in the United States and in 1992 the very first Altima was released. In 1993 Nissan celebrated 10 years of manufacturing in the United States and the 1-millionth Maxima was sold.
In the 2000 Nissan’s first full-sized truck, all-new hybrid technology and a 21st-Century supercar were all released. The Z returned to prominence in 2002 with the introduction of the widely acclaimed Nissan 350Z®. Under the hood was a lively 3.5-liter V6 pumped out 287 horsepower. In 2009, the 350Z® was replaced by the more powerful 370Z®, the fastest Z ever produced.
In 2010, we introduced Nissan LEAF®—the world’s first mass-produced, 100% electric, zero emission automobile. The standard 24-kWh battery was replaced with a 30-kWh battery for 2016, featuring 107 miles of range. The 2018 LEAF introduced an all-new design and a 40-kWh battery that took range up to 151 miles, and in 2019, LEAF PLUS added an available 60-kWh battery, estimated by EPA to offer up to 226 miles of range.
