NISSAN plans to become the latest car manufacturer to improve its green credentials by launching a hybrid vehicle by 2010.

The car maker, which employs about 300 people at its Wearside plant, said it wanted to develop its own hybrid technology - only months after Nissan president Carlos Ghosn called the concept a "terrible business proposition".

Last night, a Nissan spokesperson said it was too early to say if any of the proposed production would be in Washington, or if the plant would be affected.

Nissan's plans will see it develop a hybrid that will run for 100km on three litres of fuel, and launch an electric vehicle early next decade.

Hybrid technology - a mix of petrol and electric propulsion - has already been adopted by car makers Honda and Toyota, whose Prius model has been a success.

Nissan's move is seen by analysts as a sign of the growing pressures car manufacturers face from environmentally-conscious consumers and anti-pollution regulations.

Japan is poised to implement fuel efficiency restrictions that will be the toughest in the world, requiring car makers to cut fuel consumption by 20 per cent, from last year's levels, by 2016.

In the US, California has passed a bill forcing car manufacturers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020. In Europe, voluntary targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2009 are in place, although only five of the top 20 car brands are on course to meet them.