Nissan Altima hybrid to be sold in limited states

Nissan continues to be cautious in their approach to hybrids. Not only are they so far behind in hybrid tech that they have to buy their first 100,000 hybrid drivetrains from Toyota, but now they are only going to sell the hybrid altima in the Northeast and in California.

Nissan is only selling hybrids in order to comply with California's (and states with like mandates) zero emissions vehicle mandate.

Bloomberg.com: Japan

The 2007 model will be available early next year in California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and New Jersey, Nissan said in a statement. Sales are being limited to states that have adopted versions of California's so-called zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which requires the largest automakers to offer hybrids, spokesman Kurt Von Zumwalt said.

"We have capacity to make up to 50,000 hybrids, which is more than we expect to sell in those states," said Von Zumwalt, who is based at Nissan's North American unit in Gardena, California. "If there's more demand, we'll have capacity to do more."