Japanese manufacturer Nissan has made no secret of the fact that it believes the future of green cars revolves firmly around zero-emission electric technology rather than hybrid cars – and now it has the vehicle to back up its claims.
This weekend the company launched the Nissan LEAF at its new environmentally focused headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The vehicle is designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery powered chassis and is a medium sized hatchback that seats five adults and has a range of more than 100 miles on a full charge.
It can be charged up to 80 per cent of its capacity in just under 30 minutes with a quick charger, making it a practical alternative to the combustion engine. According to Masato Inoue, the product chief designer, the car is the world’s first medium-size practical electric vehicle that motorists can afford and will want to use every day.
So what makes the vehicle so special?
The LEAF uses a new chassis and body layout with the frontal styling characterised by a sharp, upright V-shaped design with long, up-slating light-emitting diode headlights. These are designed to split and redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, helping to reduce wind noise and drag.
It also includes an advanced IT system which is connected to a global data centre. The system provides support, information and entertainment, including information on the nearest charging stations. Mobile phones can also be used to turn on the air conditioning and set charging functions.
The first of Nissan’s electric vehicles will be manufactured in Oppama, Japan. The vehicles will go on sale in Europe, the USA and in Japan in 2010.
