Nissan Zero Emission EV To Be Revealed August 2nd, EV-IT Data Service To Assist Owners

YOKOSUKA, JAPAN, played host today to a special preview of Nissan's upcoming - and as yet unnamed - electric vehicle (EV) platform.

Using a Tiida-based prototype during the development stages, Nissan confirmed today that the EV's exterior styling will be revealed during the opening of the company's Yokohama headquarters on August 2.

Sales of Nissan's electric vehicle are due to begin in Japan and the US in 2010. Nissan Australia's Jeff Fisher confirmed to TMR that the EV will reach Australian showrooms by 2012, when the car is due for global mass production.

"Yes, it’s part of our product plan. It will be available next year in the US and we expect it to have it here in 2012,” Mr Fisher said.

“The first car will be a five-seater family hatch, with small crossovers and commercials to follow. A concept version will be unveiled in the US in August this year.”

Nissan’s EV, like the EV-02 prototype and the EV-11 Tiida-based prototype shown today, will use a 24kWh ‘laminated lithium ion’ battery system, developed by Nissan in partnership with semiconductor manufacturer, NEC.

While half the size and weight of a conventional lithium ion battery, Nissan claims it will supply enough power to the electric motor to produce 80kW and 280Nm of torque.

Combined with the battery system, the regenerative braking system and a body designed for optimised underfloor air-flow, Nissan says its EV will offer a total driving range of 160km between charges.

To assist owners of the upcoming Zero Emission EV, Nissan has developed a global data centre which the vehicle will be able to connect to, providing 24 hour, seven day support and displaying vital data such as a Maximum Range display and updates on the location and status of charging points.

The Maximum Range function will display the driving radius within range under the EV's current state of charge, offering real-time updates. It will also calculate if the vehicle is within range of a pre-set destination.

Nissan promises that the EV revealed in early August will show off an all-new design, unique to its Zero Emission program.

A new Zero Emission website has been developed to accompany the launch - www.nissan-zeroemission.com - which will be available from August 2nd.