Showing it’s serious about brining an all-electric car to market by 2010, Nissan today unveiled the Nuvu concept at the Paris Motor Show. Although not currently green lighted for production, the Nuvu – which is intended to sound like ‘new view’ –shows what a future Nissan city car might look like.
The Nuvu was designed almost exclusively for city driving, with a heavy emphasis on easy maneuverability and zero emissions. Like Toyota did with its new city car, the iQ, Nissan started with a clean slate and developed an all-new compact platform for the Nuvu. On top of that platform, Nissan developed a 2+1 seating design that also mimics the iQ. When the third seat is not in use, it can be folded to provide more interior room.
Nissan failed to give any details on the Nuvu’s electric drivetrain – such as output or range – but the new system will feature X-By-Wire controls for all driving functions. That means in addition to drive-by-wire throttle controls, other systems – such as steering – will be completely controlled by electronics rather than actual moving components.
Inside, Nissan continues the Nuvu’s green theme through the use of natural, organic and recycled materials. A minimalists approach also reduces clutter and excess use of raw materials.
Although the Nuvu is not officially headed to production, we expect it to get the thumbs up from Nissan brass in the coming years. An electric version seems to be a sure bet, but we wouldn’t rule out gas or diesel versions.
