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 is slowly giving up details about the Nuvu, an all-EV concept that will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. According to the Japanese marque, it's a "new vision" about the type of cars we'll be driving during the mid 2010s. It's a small vehicle, only 3 meters (about 10ft) long and can seat 2+1 passengers (the +1 is an additional folding seat). The Nuvu is an all-electric model and, although it's not the model that will be on sale in 2010, it showcases new technologies that will be used for the future production model. No specifications about range or power were given, but Nissan tells us that it's got a 1.98-meter wheelbase (6.5 ft), it's 1.70 meters high (5ft 7in) and 1.55 meters (5ft 1in) wide. The Nuvu also incorporates solar panels in the shape of a branch and leaves on the car's roof to feed some juice to the car's battery. Nissan also said that the car uses natural, organic and recycled materials to create an "airy and roomy" interior. If produced, this sounds like a competitor for the Smart and the Toyota IQ, for sure.

[Source: Nissan]