(June 15, 2011) Did you know that Nissan makes a hybrid version of its popular Altima mid-sized sedan?

It does, but you don't have to apologize if that fact has escaped you because Nissan has been selling the Altima Hybrid in only a handful of states since 2007 and only about 35,000 units have been sold in nearly five years.

And forget about anyway, because Nissan has announced that it will discontinue the gas/electric version of the Altima at the end of the 2011 model year.

"Nissan has decided to focus on those models which will remain in Nissan's lineup for the next model year," said Josh Clifton, a Nissan spokesman.

The Altima is capable of achieving 33 mpg in combined EPA driving using Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. But since adopting Toyota's hybrid technology, Nissan has developed its own in-house hybrid drive. The first version of that new lithium-ion battery-based technology was recently introduced in the U.S. market on the luxury-class Infiniti M sedan, as the 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid.

“We’ve launched our Nissan design hybrid in the M,” said Mark Perry, director of product planning at Nissan North America. He said that technology will spread through other lines. “We’re going to cascade it through where it makes sense.”

Whether Nissan develops a new hybrid for its mid-sized Altima sedan using its own technology remains to be seen.

Sources: Nissan, Automotive News, USA Today