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Future Vehicles

2011 Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf five-door hatchback is as close to a unique car as you'll get: It's one of two pure electric cars offered in the U.S. for the 2011 model year. And it's one of only a handful of "electric-drive" cars, which power the wheels solely with one or more electric motors rather than mechanical drive derived from engine torque. It competes with a number of plug-in vehicles just entering the market or soon to come.

The Nissan Leaf offers much lower operating costs (2-5 cents per mile for electricity, versus 6 to 15 cents per mile using gasoline). Energy is stored in a 24-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack mounted in the Leaf's floorpan. It powers an electric motor that drives the front wheels, and should give a range of about 100 miles from a full charge. Recharging takes 6 to 7 hours using 220-Volt power (the same kind used for electric stoves and driers), and Nissan says special fast-charge stations will fill the pack from 20 to 80 percent in less than half an hour.

Nissan claims the compact-size Leaf offers the interior room of a midsize car; its weight of well over 3,000 pounds is clearly more in line with the larger category. Like all electric cars, which can develop peak torque at 0 rpm, it is brisk off the line. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph is likely to be in the 10-second range, and top speed will be 90 miles per hour or close. The Leaf includes the ability to pre-heat or pre-cool the car while it's still plugged in, to reduce the load on the battery. The coarse, velvety upholstery material is made from recycled plastic bottles and home appliances.

The Leaf is the first of several all-electric models expected from Nissan, which has placed a large bet on all-electric cars versus plug-ins that are either adapted conventional hybrids or use a range extending engine to provide longer travel distances.

Click here for more info on the Nissan Leaf

Source: The Car Connection



2011 Nissan Juke

The Juke is a mini SUV to be released by Nissan late 2010.  The production version made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, and was introduced to North America at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

It is based around the running gear of the Nissan Cube, although as new models evolve so a platform will undergo a number of changes, and Juke's underpinnings are no exception. For its application on Juke, it has been lengthened, widened and significantly strengthened and lightened to enhance safety, refinement, and fuel efficiency.

The profile is dominated by the prominent wheel arches and by the body's high waistline, which combine to give an impression of strength and which contrast vividly with the slim side windows. Echoing a style first seen on the Mixim, Nissan's high performance electric coupé concept shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Show, the glasshouse resembles a crash helmet visor. The sport motif continues inside the car with the painted center console bearing similarity to a motorcycle fuel tank.

     


2011 Nissan Juke Test Drive  Source: Popular Mechanics
Quirky, exuberant, and curiously lizard-eyed, Nissan's new Juke is a jaunty take on the sporty compact crossover. But does this pint-sized people-mover devour the road as enthusiastically as its appearance might suggest?...Read the full article here.