Nissan's Electric Cars: Making Headlines and on the Road Making the World a Cleaner Place!

Electric cars, these are something I remember reading about in Elementary school. Around the turn of the millennium there were all sorts of buzzing about what to expect in the next century. Electric cars were definitely in the buzz, so were flying cars.

Apparently the reality of electric cars is definitely closer and a much more realistic concept. Nissan plans to sell electric cars within the next 4 years. The subcompact electric cars will be powered by lithium-ion batteries which were self-developed by the Nissan Motor Company.

Nissan is Japan's Number 2 automaker and they also intend to develop and sell gas-electric hybrid cars by the year 2010, attempting to catch up with competitors including; Honda Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp, and other car companies with economically and environmentally friendly vehicles.

The company is in cooperation with Renault SA, their French partner. Nissan is planning to speed up the expansion of its line-up of diesel cars as well. Diesel cars are growing in the global demand, according to the Nikkei business daily.

Nissan is also expected to develop bioethanol cars with the help of Renault, which Nissan intends to provide with fuel cell and hybrid car technologies. Nissan currently has two electric vehicles in production including; the Altra EV and the Hypermini as well as a hybrid electric, Japan's Tino Hybrid.

The Altra EV (Electric Vehicle) is a 4-passenger vehicle with a maximum speed of 75 miles. Its not the swiftest car in the world, but what it lacks in speed, it makes up for in environmentally soundness. The Altra EV uses lithium-ion batteries, the same power source used in notebook computers and video recorders.

The batteries are light and have excellent energy density compared to lead-acid or nickel-metal hydride batteries. The batteries also do not lose capacity if they are not completely discharged before recharging.

The Hypermini is also powered by lithium-ion batteries. This attractive and very mini vehicle has an aluminum frame which is lighter and more rigid than the typical steel body. The Hypermini's plastic raw materials are recycled from end-of-use vehicles using a Nissan developed process. The Hypermini also has special tyres that allow driving up to 50 miles with a flat. Also, the Hypermini costs as little as 2 cents per mile to drive! That's what I call a free ride, once the car is paid for of course.

The Hypermini is expected to help Japan's current problem of traffic pollution. In Japan, traffic data shows that approximately 90% of all passenger cars are driven less than 70% of the day. Also, 82% of the time a vehicle is occupied by only one or two passengers. The waste of petrol gasoline or diesel is discouraging.

The Hypermini is an attempt to reduce and overcome this unnecessary waste. The car is designed specifically for short commutes and is intended to maximize and conserve finite resources. Nissan's goal is to transcend the traditional approach to an electric car and give it more of a respectable and functional role in society.

The Hypermini is bold and smartly styled. Proportions were reduced to save weight and space. The car appears more European than Japanese. Its swooping lines and soft curves are attractive and the horizontal row of lights on both the front and back ends give the model a unique and functional glow.

Two versions will be made available including the Town Package and the Leisure series. The Leisure series will have grated side windows and a pop-up rear hatch.

Wheels are placed at the four outer corners of the car which give a feeling of width and also expand the stability of the vehicle. The vehicle is 1,000 millimeters shorter than Nissan's current smallest vehicle, the Micra. The Hyperminis are expected to use approximately the same amount of space as a Nissan Sentra on the road.
The Hypermini can go at least 60 miles an hour and will be powered by a neodymium magnet synchronous electric motor. The vehicle will also be able to travel 130 kilometers on a single charge.

The lithium-ion batteries will be spread out across the bottom of the car floor. The batters are easily serviceable by floor-pan hatches and a pull-out mechanism.

The Tino Hybrid is also an attractive little car with only a limited number available in Japan. This is also a compact 4 seater with a 4-cylinder 1.8L QG engine. The engine has about 100 horsepower and an AC motor which produces an additional 22 horsepower respectively.

The world of electric cars is certainly getting closer and other car companies are expected to produce similar models depending on the outcome of Nissan's newest productions.