Nissan ESFLOW Electric Coupe Concept : The official Thread

[Boomer23]

Nice to see the EsFlow mentioned again in this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTbeJikIGmg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Look at how small the EsFlow is in comparison to the LEAF! Pause the clip during the top view to really see it. This could be a 2600lb car.

And now in this ad: The EsFlow shows up at about 00:40 and again at 00:54.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pswo8DWdQ

 

[GeorgeParrott]

Yes, Nissan is making many of us drool with the implied promise of the ESFLOW.

Here is a short piece I did last month after seeing one of the then fresh new Nissan TV adverts....

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1063768_nissan-turns-us-on-with-esflow-in-tv-ad-will-they-build-it

It sure seems to me that Nissan is telling us..."wait, for it is coming."

 

[TRONZ]

Did anyone else see this extended video of the EsFlow? Its pretty cool! I especially like the little peek we get at the twin motor configuration via "xray".

http://youtu.be/r1sXkiVTaZc?hd=1

 

[Boomer23]

Did anyone else see this extended video of the EsFlow? Its pretty cool! I especially like the little peek we get at the twin motor configuration via "xray".

http://youtu.be/r1sXkiVTaZc?hd=1

Nice! I wonder if it'll ever exist outside of TRON space. Hey, maybe you have inside information...?

 

[edatoakrun]

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

New to me video. Nissan GM reiterates:

Under 2000 lbs.

120 mile (1.5 x LEAF) range.

About $40 K price. (25-30 K Euro)

And with dual motors, I'm guessing, about 6 seconds to 60 MPH?

(Edit- okay, 0-60 mph in 5 seconds?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qke2ZHyq9_M&NR=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

If Nissan can meet those targets, and not lose too much on each sale, they'd be crazy not to build it.

 

[TRONZ]

Connecting the dots is now pretty easy and all the dots are there for production. The final dot was marketing justification and was likely the tallest hurdle. Without a business case and target market nothing happens. That is why I sat up and paid attention when Nissan said they want to go after the Mazda Miata. It's not a stretch to see that Nissan found its business case. Now we just wait for a pre-production design and official announcement. My guess for this is Geneva 2012.

 

[ttweed]

Connecting the dots is now pretty easy and all the dots are there for production.

Build it and they will come!

TT

 

[Boomer23]

Very cool clips, thanks!

Is it too early for a topic called "Things I would like to see on the second generation ESFLOW"? Probably.

What I'm thinking about is the fixed-in-place seats. I realize that the concept is to lighten the car by deleting a lot of the weight of traditional seat frames and also the weight of power seat motors and related hardware. But even though the pedals and steering wheel are designed to be electrically adjustable, the seat geometry, seatback angle, etc, appear to be fixed. As someone with some back issues, I wonder if this will be a satisfactory solution for driving comfort.

Nissan is counting on weight reduction for range improvement using what appears to be a LEAF battery pack, reconfigured for the layout of the ESFLOW. I'm guessing that a lot of this weight reduction, including the carbon fiber and composites referred to in the video, as well as the seat design, will be deleted before production due to cost and projected customer satisfaction (the fixed-in-place seats). So will the range actually be improved? Adding more batteries would take up more space than the design seems able to provide and cost more as well. For me, though, the current range of the LEAF would be adequate for this car, especially with a fast on-board charger to help out with short trip driving.

 

[TRONZ]

It's good to see the EsFlow at the Tokyo Motor Show. It also looks good in white!

http://www.telegraaf.nl/autovisie/autovisie_nieuws/10881782/__Nieuwe_laklaag_voor_Nissan_Esflow__.html?sn=autovisie_nieuws" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also found it interesting that Honda appears to be forming an EV flanking move on Nissan. It would appear the EsFlow has shown up on Honda's radar already.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Honda/259940/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you click on the concept pics they also have their own version of the PIVO.

I really like Honda engineering but think they are really conflicted about electrification. Hopefully this is a sign they are going to finally get serious.

 

[SanDust]

Looks like the "electric" ESFLOW will have, gasp, an ICE. It's going to be range extended!

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1068749_infiniti-sneaks-pictures-out-of-new-electric-sports-car-concept#comment-1000119545" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess Tronz will have to cross this "non-EV" off his Christmas list. :idea:

 

[palmermd]

This is not necessarily the ESFlow. Esflow has always been shown badged as a Nissan. This car is clearly badged as an Infinity. The fact that this is a PHEV and not an EV as the ESFLOW has always been depicted is also an indicator. Still too soon to know for sure, but seems that way to me based on comments in the press release. We'll know soon enough, but I still think the ESFLOW EV is still in the works.

http://www.nissannews.com/pressrelease/3057/4/infiniti-getting-charged-up-over-new-sports-car" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd and Infiniti said: "At the Geneva Show next year, we will present our vision for a totally new kind of inspired premium performance car. Infiniti already has hybrid and clean diesel models on sale. And with an all-electric sedan on the way, the natural next step was to push the boundaries where performance and the environment intersect.”

 

[Spies]

Looks like the "electric" ESFLOW will have, gasp, an ICE. It's going to be range extended!

I guess I am missing the part that says the Nissan ESFLOW EV concept became the Infiniti PHEV other than pure speculation on the part of the author of the article you linked to.

 

[TRONZ]

??? The Nissan EsFlow and as yet Un-Named Infinity EV are not the same cars or even concepts. Everyone already knew the Infinity that (partially) surfaced today would be a mid-engine hybrid. Francois Bancon has been pretty clear that Nissan/Infinity are working on many different battery concepts. The EsFlow is one of three current EV candidates for production by Nissan. This latest Infinity concept has nothing to do with these three candidates.

And

I have no problem with a Plug-In Hybrid that admits its a Plug-In Hybrid.

 

[edatoakrun]

Looks like the "electric" ESFLOW will have, gasp, an ICE. It's going to be range extended!

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1068749_infiniti-sneaks-pictures-out-of-new-electric-sports-car-concept#comment-1000119545" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess Tronz will have to cross this "non-EV" off his Christmas list. :idea:

Not the ESFLOW. It's (reportedly) a different concept car.
But I would like it if Nissan produced the first decent EREV.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[N952JL]

Very cool clips, thanks!

Is it too early for a topic called "Things I would like to see on the second generation ESFLOW"? Probably.

What I'm thinking about is the fixed-in-place seats. I realize that the concept is to lighten the car by deleting a lot of the weight of traditional seat frames and also the weight of power seat motors and related hardware. But even though the pedals and steering wheel are designed to be electrically adjustable, the seat geometry, seatback angle, etc, appear to be fixed. As someone with some back issues, I wonder if this will be a satisfactory solution for driving comfort.

Nissan is counting on weight reduction for range improvement using what appears to be a LEAF battery pack, reconfigured for the layout of the ESFLOW. I'm guessing that a lot of this weight reduction, including the carbon fiber and composites referred to in the video, as well as the seat design, will be deleted before production due to cost and projected customer satisfaction (the fixed-in-place seats). So will the range actually be improved? Adding more batteries would take up more space than the design seems able to provide and cost more as well. For me, though, the current range of the LEAF would be adequate for this car, especially with a fast on-board charger to help out with short trip driving.

Some of this I agree with. What I disagree with is Range! An electric car range needs to be extended to between 250 to 300 interstate miles in order to make the car main stream. You need to be able to do at least 3 hrs of interstate (70 mph) driving between charges. Current range of the LEAF would not be adequate for this car, even with a fast on-board charger (6.6kw).

I truly hope that battery tech will improve to the point that the current leaf battery space will hold 100kWh worth of battery for the same price. Then electric cars will have arrived in this country.

 

[evnow]

I have no problem with a Plug-In Hybrid that admits its a Plug-In Hybrid.

LOL. You see - EV has better green crd than Hybrid. So we will use EV when that sheen is needed - otherwise we keep trashing EVs.

This is how we have our cake and eat it too*.

* : we also thought it is possible to postpone worker benefits to the future and be viable in the future.

 

[Boomer23]

Pics on the Nissan LEAF Facebook page (probably same as we've seen before, the white version): http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150554022517796&set=a.10150554022257796.480109.141137487795&type=1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These look more real than the stylized pics I've seen before, which looked mostly like CGI. I like the detailing and lights a lot.

 

[SanDust]

The EsFlow is one of three current EV candidates for production by Nissan. This latest Infinity concept has nothing to do with these three candidates.

I have no problem with a Plug-In Hybrid that admits its a Plug-In Hybrid.

You think Nissan is going to do more than one two seat sportscar? One may be one too many if the goal is to drive volume. I think if we see any we'll see one, and most likely it will wear an Infiniti badge, both to give Infiniti some EV love and to make the high cost more palatable.

Just so we're clear, any electric vehicle that Nissan produces will NOT be an EV and Nissan will be spreading FUD if it calls it an EV. Do I have that right?

 

[SanDust]

This is how we have our cake and eat it too.

Not to be overly pedantic, but if your'e going to poke fun you shouldn't flub the punchline. For obvious logical reasons what you wanted to say was "This is how we eat our cake and have it too".

Then again it wasn't a very good joke so it probably doesn't matter. You don't seem to understand that marketing departments get paid to highlight the benefits of their products. Pointing out that your EREV doesn't have a limited electric range isn't bashing EVs any more than claiming that your BEV is a zero emission vehicle is bashing EREVs. That's the way it works, and there is no reason to act like an over involved parent about it.

 

[TRONZ]

Pics on the Nissan LEAF Facebook page (probably same as we've seen before, the white version): http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150554022517796&set=a.10150554022257796.480109.141137487795&type=1&theater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These look more real than the stylized pics I've seen before, which looked mostly like CGI. I like the detailing and lights a lot.

Reading between the lines, I would guess the white EsFlow is the one that will be onstage for Tokyo. Trotting it out again with minimal (if any) changes is a bit provocative. More so if it turns out to be a second EsFlow. Bancon has said Nissan's next EV will be a "signature" design that highlights the unique advantages of electric powertrains. If this means wheels that can turn a car 180 degrees in 4 meters or shoot 0-60 in under 5 seconds is anyone's guess... but I know which one I'm betting on.