Nissan unveils zero emission electric car

Nissan, which spent 17 years in developing the lithium-ion battery, expects it to help the automaker become the biggest supplier of electric vehicles.

"Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment - one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride," said Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn.

"We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality - the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero - not simply reduced - emissions. It's the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey - for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry."

Features of the zero emission car
Nissan Motor said the Leaf is a compact five-door hatchback with room for four or five adults. It is designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, and includes zero-emission power train and platform.

Nissan Leaf generates power output of over 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. This would ensure the electric car to keep up with typical city traffic and highway driving.

Not only the car has no tailpipe, Nissan also claims the regenerative braking will provide a driving range of more than 100 miles on a single full charge.

The Leaf can be 80 percent recharged in thirty minutes using a quick charger, whereas a full charge at a 200-volt outlet at home should take about eight hours.

Power-saving technologies include the use of light-emitting diodes for the headlamps, specially developed to redirect airflow away from the door mirrors, thus reducing wind noise and aerodynamic drag.

The interior of the Leaf
Designer Shiro Nakamura said, “This is not a niche car. We didn’t make it unusual looking. It had to be a real car.”

Regarding the design, the Leaf has a “sharp, upright V-shaped design” on the front end. The interior will have an “environmentally friendly ‘blue earth’ color theme,” in the introductory model.

There is a dash-mounted monitor that displays the Nissan Leaf’s remaining power, in addition to showing nearby charging stations. Besides, there is Bluetooth connectivity, electric parking brake and a dash-mounted charging indicator.

The mobile phone can be used to turn on the air-conditioning unit and set charging functions. Also the air conditioner can be pre set to cool down the cabin before the driving begins.

Launch of Nissan Leaf in 2010
To start, the Nissan Leaf will be assembled in Nissan’s plant in Oppama, Japan, but it plans on additional production at its assembly plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.

Though the price tag for the Leaf is yet to be announced, Nissan promises that it will be the first affordable and practical electric car.

The Japanese automaker claims to have the capacity to produce 200,000 electric vehicles in the U.S., 100,000 in Europe and 50,000 in Japan.

Nissan and partner Renault SA plan to offer electric vehicles in the U.S. and Japan starting in 2010 and globally in 2012.