While we old-fashioned, glued-to-keyboard bloggers had to wait until the official reveal to get a glimpse Nissan's latest EV concept, new-fangled video blogger Danny Fleet got actual face time with both the Nuvu and a representative from the Japanese auto maker before the Paris Motor Show even started and recorded some of the low down on the concept and the company's EV future plans with his trusty camera. He even got them to drive it a very short distance.

While there weren't any "Holy Cow! Really?" moments, we did learn a bit that wasn't covered in the lengthy Nuvu press release. For instance, this is not the electric car that Nissan is planning on selling in 2010. Also, although Danny couldn't get Mia to discuss Nissan's involvement with Project Better Place we do learn that the 2010 EV will first be made available in the U.S. and Japan before the rest of the world gets it. Hit the jump for more info and hot vlogging action.





[Source: Danny's Contentment]

We've finally got pics of the Nissan Nuvu concept and its, um, interesting. Sporting a very bulbous shape with bug-eye head lights, the Nuvu couldn't be anything but a concept. As Nissan promised, there are leaf-shaped solar panels on the roof, integrated into the glass. Also well-integrated are the rear tail lamps, which sit inside a rear window to make for a very airy-looking cockpit. Perhaps to gain some structural integrity, there is a single pillar inside the passenger compartment (Nissan calls it a 'tree trunk') leading to that glass-top ceiling. Speaking of which, that's one ultra clean and futuristic-looking instrument panel, along with a steering wheel that looks like it could come from Nintendo. Perfect for the current crop of kids who grew up with such things.

The powertrain is electric, but Nissan's not letting too many details of its specs out just yet. We know the motor sits at the rear and drives the rear wheels, and the battery is lithium ion. Nissan says it can hit about 75 miles per hour and travel up to about 80 miles on a charge. The real story, according to the automaker, is that city drivers spend 99-percent of their time with no more than two passengers, so the Nuvu seats three. Expect some of less far-out stuff make it into a future production EV in a year or two. Read the full press release after the break.
[Source: Autoblog]

Nissan unveiled the latest edition of prototype electric Cube a few days ago as part of an advanced technology forum in Japan. Unfortunately ABG didn't get an invite to this event. Popular Mechanics however did have someone on hand and he got to sample the EV-02. The Cube stores electrical energy in a lithium ion battery pack, but Nissan officials told PM that the battery chemistry has not been settled yet. Nissan is apparently still testing at least 16 different battery chemistries trying to find the optimum combination of power and energy capacity. Nissan's target is to have a range of at least 100 miles but they would prefer 150 miles. In addition to a decent range, engineers also want to achieve the ability to get an 80 percent charge in 15 minutes. They will have to come up with a chemistry that can withstand such fast charging but special high-powered charging stations will be required as well. The first early production versions for commercial and government fleet tests should appear in 2010 with retail sales two years later.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

Click the hybrid G35 for high-res images

While Nissan has been offering a version of the Altima in selected states for the last two years with a licensed version of the Toyota's hybrid system, they have been diligently working on their own design back in Japan. The Nissan developed system is expected to debut in 2010 in an Infiniti model and the company is now showing a prototype publicly for the first time. The new system is a single motor configuration with two clutches that allow the vehicle to be powered by either the engine, the electric motor or both. When the system launches it will be the first from the Japanese automaker to be applied to a rear wheel drive platform and the first to use lithium ion batteries.

Also using lithium ion batteries will be Nissan's electric vehicle launching in 2010. At the New York Auto this Nissan showed the Denki Cube, a battery powered version of the Japanese market Cube. A next generation prototype with new batteries and a new 80 kW motor and inverter is now running in preparation for the fleet launch of an all-new electric car. The production model will have distinct styling and won't be based on any other existing Nissan vehicle. The Nissan-NEC joint-venture, AESC (Automotive Energy Supply Corporation) will be supplying batteries for both vehicles. The Nissan press release is after the jump.


[Source: Nissan]

Nissan admits that it has fallen behind when it comes to eco-friendly automobile technology, and it's working hard at rectifying that situation. With all of Nissan's ambitious plans for electric and hybrid vehicles in the coming years, it is going to need lots and lots of batteries, lithium ion batteries in specific. To that end, the NEC and Nissan joint venture will be opening a new plant for the mass production of its batteries. Initial output is expected to be roughly 13,000 units per year, but we're unclear if that means individual cells or total packs ready for the vehicle. Total planned output hovers at 65,000 units by 2011. To make that output a reality, Nissan's total three-year investment will be a hefty 12 billion yen, or about $115 million for those of us who count in U.S. dollars. While that investment seems pretty heavy, Nissan Executive Vice President Carlos Tavares says, "We are going directly to zero-emissions vehicle positioning, and we are trying to go there as fast as we can."

[Source: Nissan, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Lots of Nissan electric car news today. Shortly after hearing that Nissan intends to be a global leader in affordable electric cars, news comes that the company is looking at a few cities to trial some of their new electric vehicle technology. One such city on the short-list is reportedly London. Carlos Ghosn says, "We have not yet got to the level of talking to the mayor's office. At this stage it is just a feasibility study, but London is definitely among the cities interested." London seems to be a rather obvious choice, considering the cities controversial new congestion charges which would offer zero-emission vehicles a big advantage over their gas or diesel-consuming cousins.

Let's recap the other recent news. Israel and Denmark want in on the electric car craze too. In fact, What Car reports that Israeli authorities have struck a deal with Nissan allowing the automaker exclusive rights to sell electric cars in Israel for a period of ten years. California is slated to be the first stop for an upcoming Nissan electric car in the U.S.

Interestingly, Nissan hopes to get 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, of range from a single battery pack, which could then be swapped out or recharged at an EV station -- sorta like an electrified version of today's gas stations and part of the Project Better Place idea. Ghosn says that Nissan is fully capable of offering an EV, sans battery, for the same cost of a normal gas-powered car. After the initial purchase, the cost of the battery and the amount of money spent keeping it charged will be less than the cost of gasoline. Ghosn also says that Nissan's electric cars will be sexy and attractive. That seems to cover all the bases rather well. Nissan, you've got our attention... we're waiting!

[Source: What Car]

During the Nissan 360 event in Portugal earlier this week Nissan's head of global product planning, Thomas Lane, re-confirmed that the company plans to have an electric vehicle running in U.S. fleets by 2010. That vehicle would also be made available at the retail level a year later. The plan is for government and commercial fleets to use the vehicle first before letting regular customers have a crack at it. According to Lane, the architecture of the new EV is almost done with some components borrowed from other cars but it will essentially be a dedicated battery-powered car rather than a conversion like the Denki Cube concept that was shown at this years New York Auto Show.

The new car will use lithium ion batteries, probably sourced from Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), the joint venture that Nissan established with NEC in 2007. Pricing and volume targets aren't available at this point, but Lane wants the car to be affordable to mainstream customers. Select markets like Southern California and New York will likely be the first locations where the new car is available. Those also happen to be the markets where such a car would be most successful. Lane's U.S. counterpart, Larry Domenique, indicated that initial volumes would probably in the hundreds rather than thousands.

[Source: Green Fuels Forecast]

Click the Denki Cube for a high res gallery.

According to Nissan and Renault head Carlos Ghosn, Nissan has plans to become a global leader in affordable electric vehicles. Citing rising oil costs and environmental issues, especially in emerging markets, Ghosn is quoted as suggesting that it was a "very easy" decision when it comes to justifying Nissan's commitment to zero-emission vehicles. Ghosn says, "We are looking at a future of permanently high energy costs." He goes on, "That is why in our opinion it is time for zero-emissions cars, those that will be completely neutral to the environment." While much of Nissan's planned growth centers around emerging markets - oh, and the Middle East - those electric vehicles will most likely be offered here in the States as well, starting in 2011.

Don't hold your breath for fuel cells, biofuel vehicles or more hybrids from Nissan, though. Nissan has partnered with NEC for the development of large-scale automotive batteries and believes that fully-electric vehicles are the way to go.

[Source: Autocar]

Nissan has announced a concept EV, called Mixim, for the Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle has four-wheel drive because two sets of motors (called supermotors) are placed on each axis. The batteries are Li-Ion. No information about performance is given in the press release, although they're called "fast" and "endurant".

Among the design ideas of the EV, one of the most remarkable is the driving position right in the middle of the car, leaving two recessed passenger seats at each side of the driver, a fourth folded right behind. The controls are said to be inspired by video game pads. It's shorter and lower than a current Micra (3.7 m - 12 ft 3 in- long and 1.8 m -6 ft- high).

Because this is a concept, Nissan states clearly that no mass production is guaranteed, although the car has been developed along the principles of the Nissan Green Program.

Other products Nissan is offering in the greenest spectre of their model line (albeit for size) are a new paint on the Micra C+C and the refreshed Micra (with new interiors, stereo with MP3 input and a speed limiting chime).

[Source: Nissa, h/t to Domenick]

Why does this story seem like déjà vu? Lessees of the tiny Nissan Hypermini vehicles were disappointed in Nissan's decision to take back the vehicles when the leases expired and blocked the truck that came to pick up the Hyperminis. If you've seen "Who Killed The Electric Car?" then perhaps you're imaging the scene where the EV1 drivers block the truck in the film. The difference here is that the lessees were not passionate individuals but the city council of Pasadena, CA. To block the truck, an electric Toyota RAV4 was "poorly parked" in front of the truck by the council.

Nissan says it no longer makes the Hypermini and can't maintain the cars. I tell ya, as soon as someone makes and markets a decent EV that people can actually buy (instead of lease), they're going to make a mint. The market is certainly there.

[Source: Channel 4]