Poll : Nissan Weighs Three Choices for Next Electric Car

[TRONZ]

It sounds like TownPod might be out of consideration.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/167154/nissan-second-generation-evs-could-be-very-different-cars/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“We are still investigating a smaller commuter OR sports car. There are many, many opportunities there.” - Nissan chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura

So PIVO or EsFlow.

IMO the TownPod is just too large and heavy to even be worth considering as an EV right now. It will have its day but not now.

 

[ttweed]

Two seater sport cars have never done well, except the 240Z back in the early 70s.. probably because it was cheap.

Have you checked Mazda Miata sales? They have become the official "most popular" two-seater sports car in history, now, approaching 1M in sales worldwide and still going strong.

TT

 

[TRONZ]

Sports cars never sell as well as mass market sedans and hatches. But they are not supposed to. It's not their purpose. The purpose of sports cars is to be special, drive up the emotional passion on a brand so people will make a purchase associated with that brand or the passion icon itself. Lets remember that the enemy of emotion is rationality, so the trick today is to find a way to align these two opposing forces into one product. I think Nissan already knows this and is playing it very cool. We will see.

 

[JRP3]

A sports car could be an ideal platform for an EV, and actually a very practical vehicle for many people who normally travel by themselves, or with only one passenger. They are smaller, should be more aerodynamic, can be lighter, and should be a very efficient car that gets the most out of it's battery pack when driven normally, but can still provide better than normal performance when desired.

 

[gasmiser1]

A sports car could be an ideal platform for an EV, and actually a very practical vehicle for many people who normally travel by themselves, or with only one passenger. They are smaller, should be more aerodynamic, can be lighter, and should be a very efficient car that gets the most out of it's battery pack when driven normally, but can still provide better than normal performance when desired.

________________________________________________________________

+1 Bring on the ESFLOW :mrgreen:

 

[N952JL]

A sports car could be an ideal platform for an EV, and actually a very practical vehicle for many people who normally travel by themselves, or with only one passenger. They are smaller, should be more aerodynamic, can be lighter, and should be a very efficient car that gets the most out of it's battery pack when driven normally, but can still provide better than normal performance when desired.

I agree. My only thought is why two Leaf electric motors? the ESFLOW is already lighter than the Leaf, why does it need twice the motors?

What I would love is a BEV Frontier pickup. I have an around town need for a half size pickup.

 

[gasmiser1]

I believe the ESFLOW twin rear motors (instead of one motor like the LEAF) is for speed/performance. I feel the need for speed from time to time.......especially when an ICE car is challenging my LEAF from the stoplight

 

[TRONZ]

The twin motor provides individual control of the driving wheels and greater control over the performance envelope of the car. Nissan does alot of fly-by-wire technology and is a leader in developing software for performance driving. Developing a purely digital sports car has alot of electronic advantages and opportunities over ICE sports cars. Nissan wants to do it right since Performance is their signature. I would wager the next EV product announcement from Nissan will be regarding the selection from these three candidates. Fingers crossed we are right in our poll.

 

[aqn]

A sports car could be an ideal platform for an EV, and actually a very practical vehicle for many people who normally travel by themselves, or with only one passenger. They are smaller, should be more aerodynamic, can be lighter, and should be a very efficient car that gets the most out of it's battery pack when driven normally, but can still provide better than normal performance when desired.

+1000

I agree. My only thought is why two Leaf electric motors?

Yeah, my thought exactly: why not four motors?

the ESFLOW is already lighter than the Leaf, why does it need twice the motors?

So Nissan won't be producing a "sports car" that can't get out of its own way?

Seriously though, I do hope that the ESFlow will be lighter than the LEAF, but that's far from given. I just spent 10 minutes with "the Google" and "Nissan ESFlow specs" as well as "Nissan ESFlow weight" and found nothing.

 

[TRONZ]

Saw a pair of interesting vids on YouTube. They we're produced by Nissan and followed Bancon as he walked around the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show giving his critique of various cars from other manufacturers. I pay very careful attention to what this man says and how he says it as he is at the very innermost circle of Nissans product planning and in particular EV's.

Those wanting a compact Toyota IQ sized EV from Nissan pay attention at about 1:20 here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hEYRrKyTU4&feature=youtube_gdata_player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Those of you wanting an electric sports car from Nissan pay attention at 2:36 here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vo2PCpXfFc&feature=youtube_gdata_player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I were a betting man I would say both these are being planned. The compact is a slam dunk and Nissan already knows how they are going to do it. The sports car is also coming BUT Nissan is still sorting out how they are actually going to do it.

 

[TRONZ]

So Nissan says 4th EV will be compact city car inspired by PIVO.

http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=27961" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The funny part is that Nissan has admitted already that these types of cars are not popular in North America so who knows if they will even try to market it here. Unfortunately, I am not all that surprised. After listening to YouTube interviews with Nissan execs over the past 9 months, they have said a city car is next all along. I just hate it when they speak clearly in English!

Now I must begin a fantasy that Nissan plans a "different" 4th EV for North America.

 

[Herm]

Gasoline is too cheap in the US and city cars are ridiculed.. thus Europe and Asia.

 

[TRONZ]

Gasoline is too cheap in the US and city cars are ridiculed.. thus Europe and Asia.

I totally agree with city cars being stupid in North America... but the gas station in Laguna Beach still says $4.89 for premium! Glad to hear other parts of the US are getting a break!

IMHO we Americans are pretty easy to figure out when it comes to car fantasies; it's always how big and or how fast! The really strange part is that Nissan knows this as well.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Gasoline is too cheap in the US and city cars are ridiculed.. thus Europe and Asia.

I totally agree with city cars being stupid in North America...

City cars are ridiculed for good reason as to suitability to purpose in North America. I'm too lazy to go looking for the link to support this but apparently there is a lower bound to what you can gain in efficiency by going smaller while still enclosing a space large enough for two people to sit upright side by side. Go smaller and you actually start losing as designers can't make the shapes needed for aerodynamic efficiency. That would explain for example why a Fit doesn't get any better mileage than a Civic, and there are cars substantially larger than the Smart Car that get better mileage. Of course there could be other reasons a city car could be handy, like crowded streets and tight parking situations.

 

[KeiJidosha]

So Nissan says 4th EV will be compact city car inspired by PIVO...

...The funny part is that Nissan has admitted already that these types of cars are not popular in North America so who knows if they will even try to market it here.

NHTSA and IIHS are not going to let the PIVO sell here. What would make sense is if the PIVO fills A segment "Megacity" duty in Asia and Europe where gas is already $10/gal. For North America, re-badge the Renault ZOE as Nissan B segment product and gift it's "Euro" style elements (and Chameleon charger) to the C-segment LEAF for North America and Europe.

 

[Herm]

KeiJidosha, they do allow NEVs in the US, but restricted to roads with posted speed limits of 45mph or less. They could probably sell a few.

The Zoe would be awesome..

 

[Boomer23]

So Nissan says 4th EV will be compact city car inspired by PIVO.


Now I must begin a fantasy that Nissan plans a "different" 4th EV for North America.

Bummer! Well, I have 2 years left on my LEAF lease. Let's hope that the BMW i3 and the Infiniti don't bite the dust in the meantime.

 

[TRONZ]

I was sort of trying to rationalize the PIVO decision and it dawned on me that Nissan may be positioning itself to capitalize on the lapse of the NiMH battery patents. Everyone knows that 2014 will be a big year for cheap large NiMH batteries and an inexpensive city EV would be perfect for these packs. The timing on this would be perfect! A $15K IQ sized EV would be a big hit... maybe even in the U.S.A.

 

[JRP3]

Are large format NiMH packs actually going to be cheaper than lithium? They'll be larger and heavier, with lower charge efficiency and higher self discharge, unless something has changed.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Are large format NiMH packs actually going to be cheaper than lithium? They'll be larger and heavier, with lower charge efficiency and higher self discharge, unless something has changed.

probably. the chemicals used are not as reactive as Li making the process MUCH cheaper and as far as large format anything, its generally cheaper simply because most things are.

having a pack with 16 modules having the same energy output as 96 modules means 1/6th the connections, shorter production times, less complex assembly, its just less everything.

knowing all that, i dont think that they will replace Li packs. lead acid in NEVs are definitely going away and i think there will be other stationary storage applications where weight is less of a factor where they will be used as well.

with the way Li is improving and with dropping costs, i am betting it wont be cost effective to use NiMH over Li in the very near future