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(Thu 02 Oct 08) No major motor show would be complete without at least one innovative city car from a Japanese manufacturer. At Paris this year there's a particularly fine example called the Nuvu - definitely just a concept at this stage, but one which (as the name suggests) presents a "new view" of future city transport.
Designed by a Nissan-owned studio called Creative Box Inc., the Nuvu is partly a showcase for an electric vehicle which will go on sale in 2010. The exact details are being kept secret for now, but Nissan has revealed that the Nuvu has a range of 75 miles and a top speed of 78mph, and that the lithium-ion batteries can be quickly charged from empty to full within 20 minutes, though a proper charge will take up to four hours. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Nuvu, though, is the "energy tree" which dominates the interior. At the top it's linked to an array of solar panels, and the energy generated by these is fed down the tree to be used to help recharge the battery and give a boost to the electric motor. Nissan estimates that the tree will save the equivalent of one overnight charge per month.
The tree takes up some of the interior space, of course, but it still leaves room for three seats. Why three and not four? "We did a great deal of research into how people use their cars in the city," says François Bancon, General Manager of Nissan's Department For This Sort Of Thing. "We found that for 90% of the time, the driver was alone. For 5% of the time there was one passenger and for 4% of the time there were two passengers. You can do the math to find out how often four or more people were in the car!" The third passenger, if there is one, sits in an "occasional" seat which folds into the dashboard when not in use. The "proper" second seat is set well back, providing lots of room within the Nuvu's petite three-metre length. "We gave the second seat much more room than normal because when you take one passenger in your car it is usually someone you love and you want to make sure he or she is being carried in outstanding comfort," says Bancon.
"Nuvu is a concept car, for sure, but it is an entirely credible vehicle," he adds. "It is light, clean and easy to drive. It is practical and a sensible size, yet it is also embodies an element of fun: the future doesn't look so bad, after all." |
