Nissan's Nuvu is making its debut this week at the Paris motor show, and while it isn't the
all-electric vehicle that the company has promised for 2010, it's a step in the right direction. Resembling something from a Pixar movie, the Nuvu has that special mix of "vaguely futuristic" and "somewhat impractical" that we look for in a
concept car: it's less than ten feet long, seats three (un)comfortably and the space behind the driver is claimed by what looks like an end table with a conduit extending to the ceiling. Many of the cabin materials are either recycled or made from organic materials and since the vehicle is electric, it should be whisper quiet -- offering maximum clarity for your Medeski, Martin and Wood CDs. More photos at the read link.
posted Oct 2nd 2008 3:54PM
death trap.......
Only because of all the dumb ass soccer moms who won't give up their Escalades. We've gone over this before. The trend towards smaller cars in the States is increasing but not even close to where it needs to be.
Why does it need to be?
Whatever happened to freedom? If you want to drive something big and uses a lot of gas, shouldn't that be your prerogative?
If people want to drive small un-safe cars, let them. I don't see 18-wheelers getting smaller either in the US or in Europe.
"Only because of all the dumb ass soccer moms who won't give up their Escalades."
lol thats exactly what my drivers ed teacher said
Small doesn't necessary mean it performs badly in an accident.
See ncap/top gear bit (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=k0kB2SqZqZ0)
kjb@ Should it be my perogative to shoot authors of dumbass comments like you? Its my freedom isn't it?
People shouldn't drive cars to increase their chances of surviving a wreck, they should just drive better. Having a false sense of security (bigger car) is no excuse for driving carelessly.
@kjb434
You don't always have the freedom to choose what to drive. On private property, sure, but the roads are owned and maintained by the government, and in turn, by the people. If the majority of people don't want large, inefficient, dangerous vehicles on the roads that the people own, then they shouldn't be there.
Your freedoms end when your actions negatively affect others. You are free to live your life, but not if living your life includes murdering someone. Not if your life includes stealing from someone. And some would argue: not if your life includes excessively poisoning the air we all have to breathe.
American society is based on ownership. None of us own the air we breathe and use every day, which makes it difficult to fit into the capitalist model. I'm not suggesting that capitalism is wrong, just that we have to work together to address those things, such as our atmosphere, that don't fit easily into the model.
Oh, and for the record, eight months ago I walked away from my car after rolling it over on one of the busiest highways in the world (highway 401 between Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec). It was a Hyundai Accent; a compact car. Turns out that good engineering trumps size...just look at the Consumers Reports on different car models and safety ratings...I did before I chose to buy my Accent.
I should be free to go around and shoot bleach into everyone's veins, shouldn't I? Isn't this a free country?
@ Boarderwoot:
You're absolutely right. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to grow to such a tall height and above-average build. It's entirely my fault that I could just about wear this car as a roller skate. I'll be certain to tell my kids to stop growing when they reach puberty so they can fit in the cars that Boarderwoot says they should.
Thank you for helping me see the light. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have surgery to make me smaller so I can get rid of my Evil SUV™ and buy that...thing.
small cars aren't death traps. i rolled a 99 sunfire doing 100(km/h)+ four times and went over a hill (on a snowy night) and walked away. Bruises were the only damage to me
It's like riding Apa (from Avatar). Does it fly?
death trap?
How in the world a car can be a death trap? just who is driving the car? it self? no car in the world is a death trap. ppl who drives them are the death trap. and by all means you know im right.
You people confuse freedom with rights.
I agree that this thing is a death trap but feel it would more than make up for that with a horn that sounds like this.
AAHHHHOOOOOOOOOGAAAAAAH!
@boarderwoot: Yeah because when those damned soccer moms stop buying SUVs, we can finally stop worrying about about tractor-trailers, tankers, construction vehicles, city buses, trams, telephone poles, trees, dividers, and guardrails. I'm sure there would also be no more high winds, torrential rains, icy surfaces, or slipstream currents that can play havoc with a light vehicle like this.
RRRRGH WHEN WILL THOSE SOCCER MOMS LEARN!?
I think we should just add a big fat tax on new vehicles over a certain size/weight (I'm talking about personal vehicles only -- NOT commercial vehicles) to get people to quit buying huge SUVs that make the road more dangerous for everyone else. Seriously, once the SUV trend started, then no one wants to be on the road with smaller lighter weight cars! You would think gas prices would do the trick, but now they are even making hybrid versions of escalades! The horror! We need to shut that down!
\( ^ o^)/~ Kawaii ~
Yeah, but as cute as it is, I don't think I could ever take the person who drove that car seriously.
Who cares, as long as she's really hot.
Yes. It also seems to have plenty of head room, which is good when you're over 6 foot tall.
Does Mickey Mouse drive this car?
And yeah, it does look like a death trap.
No it's Chip 'n Dale mobile,
sadly it can't possibly be used by normal
people for whole lota reasons.
you don't get them in the USA, but this car is closely reminiscent of the Nissan Micra sold here in the UK. The Micra is definitely a love it or hate it shape, I tend to the latter. This Nuvu looks quite a lot nicer, despite its cartoon cuddly look!
the biggest problem with these small cars is that whilst they can make them very tough, there's insufficient crumple zone to make a severe impact survivable by the occupants - the car might be intact but the high G forces will kill or maim. In the USA where large cars, trucks and SUVs are far more common, there's a much higher chance that a traffic accident will involve a Nuvu and a much larger solid object!
here's the official website of the Micra: http://www.nissan-offers.co.uk/compact/micra/micra-visia-1.2-3dr-335.html
"there's insufficient crumple zone to make a severe impact survivable by the occupants - the car might be intact but the high G forces will kill or maim"
Hey, that means all these cars need are external air bags, activated by collision avoidance sensors. With sufficient size of airbags they could end up being a lot safer than even larger cars!
It does look like there is little crumple room. BUT remember that a lot of the visual crumple room in a standard car is an engine and it's engine mounts do not crumple. This car has an electric motor which is much much smaller for the same amount of power as an internal combustion engine. Nissan may also be building this car out of carbon fiber which, if shaped correctly, can deform very regularly and make a car much safer for a given amount of room and weight. Despite their size SUV's are not all that safe, their high center of gravity is a serious problem in an accident, a former housemate of mine hit an SUV at about 35 mph in a honda civic, both cars were destroyed, no one was hurt, but the SUV rolled over (side, top, side 270 degrees). The only accident the SUV is safer in is a head on collision (very rare), it's much more dangerous to be in a rollover accident (which is much more likely in a SUV or Van). So, bigger == safer is largely mythology.
58% of the vehicle occupants killed in 2003 were not wearing seat belts, most of the additional vehicle occupant deaths were in SUV and van rollovers.
I agree, looks a hell of a lot like the Nissan Micra. We get it in NZ too.
I wouldn't drive one, although my girlfriend thinks they're cute. I like having them on the road though, they're dead narrow, makes it easier to lane-split with my motorbike.
The association between small cars and death-traps seems to be an American pre-occupation. Perhaps a triumph of the American motor manufacturers' marketing?
looks better than a smart car
doesn't take much
A pair rollerblades look better than a smart car. You might as well just get in a wheel barrel and go down the freeway.
yeah, and probably gets better mileage too...
This is definitely refreshing compared to the other abominations of god that we have seen dubbed "Electric Vehicles". With the exception of course of Tesla models.
All it needs is a bad-ass chrome grill.
lobbiest from the oil companies really do have an influence on the electric car designs.
looks cool. i'd get one, but first pencil me in for a electric Cube.
and all cars are potential death traps. so please shut yours.
To those (most likely from the USA) who comment that these small cars are death traps, a reality check: a) Whether it is here in the UK, or elsewhere, if you read about, witness or study reports on accidents, you will notice that deadly accidents where one vehicle impacts another have nothing to do with the size of the vehicle being impacted. If a speeding motorcycle hits the side of a car the person near where the motorcycle impacts will be in a bad way. b) If (for example) a Smart Car (made by Mercedes) is hit by any sort of vehicle, it is made from very tough materials and will be pushed aside in some cases. In fact, in all my time in the UK, most accidents I have witnessed have been between regular to large cars, trucks or SUVs. There is a certain arrogance and over confidence that comes with being behind the wheel of a larger vehicle. But the laws of physics (momentum etc) still apply. What counts is visibility. Can you the driver of the compact vehicle see clearly (chances are, you'll have better all round vision than the driver of a large vehicle, such as a truck) and more importantly, can OTHERS see you? If the small car is the same height as a regular vehicle and has it's lights positioned well, then there is less to be concerned about. Question: Has anyone ever seen an accident involving a Smart or other ultra compact car? What was the outcome?
I'm afraid I have seen the results of a crash involving a Smart car and it was horrific. A friend of the family was killed in a head on collision whilst driving a Smart. The accident investigators said if he'd been in a larger, more 'standard' car, in the same circumstances, he would probably have survived. I'd love a Smart from the economy/convenience side of things but having seen the outcome of that accident it's put me off a little.
Are you sure making cars with "very tough materials" will make it safer? I saw a documentary once and it was about how cars are being made out of material that will crumple easily when hit, so that it absorbs the force of the impact, instead of having the passengers absorb the force. So... i figure that a standard car is safer because it can have a very strong frame, but also weaker material for cushioning around it, whereas a small car must only have a strong frame only, because it is so small.
They should sell them with a free coffin and grave spot.
The only real small car I would feel slightly safe in is a MINI. BMW seemed to at least make them pretty safe for their size. I've seen two accidents with them and an SUV. One was head on and the other was driver side impact. The head on collision was a broken rib and a bunch of bruised ones. That would happen in pretty much any car from the seat belt restraint. The driver side impact had a broken arm, ribs, and lots of bruises. I was impressed.
PS: The other small one that's pretty good is the VW Beetle. They tested real good and most pictures from accidents left me reassured.
Sadly size does matter. A semi/large SUV will have a shit-ton more energy behind it at the same speed than a smaller car. When that semi hits a smaller car, the smaller car can only extend the impulse for a certain amount of time before all that force transfers at a much higher amount to the occupants. While an SUV would have an enormous engine and crumple zones to extend the force, this small car wouldn't.
The Smart is a very well designed car, for its size. The frame holds up well to crashes and is made out of high quality material. Smart vs. Geo Metro, I bet the occupants in the Smart would have a much better outcome. But this doesn't mean shit when hit by a much larger car. It's really foolish to say that size doesn't matter. What would you rather be hit by:
a) guy riding a bicycle at 30 kph
b) train moving at 30 kph
It's not the size, it's the mass differential. You should need a special license with mandatory training, to driven anything over 3,000 pounds (1361 KG), IMO. Allowing people to drive 3 ton vehicles without a complete understanding of the handling characteristics and energies involved is just stupid, and unfortunately, this lack of training and understanding coupled with cell phones and lattes is a recipe for disaster.
A Mini is actually quite heavy for its size at 2,600 Lbs, while a smart car weighs about 1,650.
A Ford Expedition, on the other hand weighs 5,578.
I could get into the energies involved, but suffice it to say that an Expedition has over 3 times the kinetic energy of a smart car. A contest between a Expedition and a smart car will generally have a clear winner...
I'd drive one of these ... or a smart ... or any other eco friendly car in a heartbeat (if I could afford one). My fear would be the soccer mom ... raging office manager ... dipshit on a mobile phone ... driving a 6,000lbs SUV like it's a Mazda Miata.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I'd love to see a ban on huge vehicles and SUVs in the US. I understand that in some cases one might need one (you have seven kids, you run your own business, etc) ... and to an extent I think you should be permitted to drive one with proper training, permit, etc (much like a CDL license) ... but there's no reason some chick talking on her mobile with a 12 month old in the middle of the back seat needs to be driving a Ford Expedition at 95 mph down a 40 mph roadway weaving in and out of traffic like mad ... that crap boggles my effin mind.
For the record, I drive a used 99' Subaru Legacy (wagon) ... and while I find it's too large for my needs, it pales in size to most SUVs and some other wagons ...
I feel quite safe in my mother's MINI Cooper S. Just driving it, you can tell that its stiff frame and excellent handling characteristics could well be used to avoid an accident, assuming an attentive driver. It also has enough space between the front passengers and the bumper to absorb crash energy. The doors are quite hefty and strong, and there are side impact airbags, of course. It is the car I will be learning (to drive) on, and I will drive it most of the time. I think that licensees should have more training than they do, and my parents are enrolling me in a safe driving course run by a professional driver that in fact races MINIs.
Also, to comment on this car, I think it will have a tough time keeping itself cool, warm, or condensation free in a varied climate like a large portion of North America. That huge window will certainly not stay in the production model. Just sun coming through the window will stress the already low powered A/C, and the lack of insulation and IR reflectivity from the lack of a hard roof could be a problem.
It's gooooooooooooold!
Though it has nothing to do with the car, Medeski Martin and Wood is far from smooth jazz, heard very easily above internal combustion. This makes sense when you consider that MMW is mostly defined as an atonal acid trip.
saw MMW at 10KLF this year, but Scofield was with them too :)
OMG! It looks like Volkswagen Beetle meets Salvador Dali.
Looks like a Dr. Seuss car. And I want one.
Am I the only American here who thinks that despite the fact that the majority of the people around here drive cars three times the size, this car actually looks worth getting? Sure it doesn't look as masculine as the Mustang I'd love to get, but as a sixteen year old a car that doesn't consume gas quicker than you can put in it looks to be worthy of at the very least a bit of consideration. If I got it in a desaturated blue I might be able to get in and out of it without totally feeling fruity. -_-
Awaiting a price.
Smart kid.
I like all these cars at the concept stage. But when they roll out of the factory they all look like Ford Fiestas.
Enerything I see electric is cartoonish except maybe the Tesla and that is super tiny. Consider this another mocked electric car.
The most important part of surviving an accident is to not get into one in the first place. With a small car like this, you know where the ends of your car are and if you'll be able to safely pass another car without clipping it. Also, the design of the windows gives it excellent visability and reduces the impact of blindspots.
i cant see where the third seat is, but i think it looks ok
If people drive safer then there should be no reason to have huge "safer" cars. Maybe its not the people... driving a car is pretty much suicide. Its more dangerous than smoking shitty cigarettes ahah.
Anyway I like the coment about medeski, martin, & wood. It gave me a good laugh. I like mmw too.
MMW rulez.
Has anyone else ever tried to "do it" to Bubblehouse? Don't.
To bad this is not an electric, but a three banger gasser. I would drop coin on it if it were a pure electric vehicle. I only drive 24 miles round trip to work. We have a second family vehicle for errands, travel and other stuff. I would use it to go to the beach to, put my surfboard on it. My only problem is that I am 6'5" tall and I bet I wont fit in it. guess I could mod it and stretch it longer for my legs...
Firstly, god I dread paying for a cracked windshield in that thing. And dread a really hot sunny day with the sun beating down on you.
And secondly, I expect only really short people sit in the backseat. Swooping the back down like that might look stylish (hmmm, does it?), but it's not very practical.
This car will not score you any points with the ladies. Prepare to remain sexless.
Would you really want a chick that likes you because of you car or what stuff you have? 'Cause if the answer is yes that's kinda sad...
This is actually one of the first vehicles of its kind that I don't find to be completely ugly. Are they getting better or am I just getting used to the idea?
I actually like this concept mini car though, unlike the other ones I've seen so far. Love the curves. But then again concept != production version.
http://www.thewebtechreviews.com
i would prefer smart-size -> small as smart so you could park verticaly where everyone park horizontaly.
I think there is a big potential for small electrical cars for 2 or better 2 and half (small child) for cities. But it must have also a reasonable price, such car must be cheaper then "full car", otherwise it is only for geeks, promotion etc.
Funny, I thought this was Engadget, not Autoblog.
Listen up people no matter what you think small car are here one of main reason is gas prices and oil is runing low and will be runing out of fuel someday.
There some you can to stop crashs, stop using your dram cell phone when driving man I can't count how time some dumb egg head come so close to hit me in fact two year ago I got hit by some one that was on there cell phone and I has min close calls due to speeder and old folks that can't drive and not half it and that in town or a small 2 lane highway all becuase there late for work or some other goof ball reason as I always say it better to be late then dead. but in reality all cars, suv and pickup are death traps so the big question is how safe is it funny you ask it you and other people that have watch for.
With grammar like that you have the nerve to talk about the intelligence level of others? Wow...
I ran out of breath reading that comment in my head...
Hmmm... This or the Toyota iQ?...
Why can't all cars look this good?
Would...
Why do fuel-efficient cars have to be silly looking?
GEH.
Are auto manufacturers intentionally going out of their way to make electric cars look FUGLY, so no one is interested in buying one?
This one is completely ugly!. What gives? What is SO FUCKING hard about making an electric car that DOESN'T look like a 5 year old designed it?
When will these companies realize, that FUGLY doesn't equal sales? Are they so desperate to retain onto their combustion engines, that they are willing to self-sabotage their electric cars, by either making them look bizarre ( Aptera), have 3 wheels, or are so ugly, no one would want one?
I'm beginning to think more and more, that auto makers are not interested in electric cars, and put out pieces of crap to rig the game, to 'prove' that there is no interest in it.
DING DING DING! You win!
Yes, manufacturers have been doing this with compact cars and electric cars for a while. If you want to hear about how GM made an excellent electric car that was loved by the people leasing it, and then scrapped the program because they said "nobody liked it" after they put severe limitations on it and had to almost-violently pry the cars out of the hands of the customers so the cars could be destroyed, thus making it impossible for others to evaluate them, you should check out the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?"
GM did everything they could to make it seem like the electric car was a failure, when in fact, it was quite popular with those who drove it.
Now, of course, GM is dedicated to making the Volt and they've changed their tune--- However, if the Volt debuts at a cost of less than $30,000 I'll be completely surprised. The next step in stopping people from wanting electric or alternative-fuel cars is to make them prohibitively expensive, or make them in limited quantities, and make it unlikely that anyone in the middle class would justify spending that kind of money on a new kind of vehicle.
$100,000 Tesla, anyone?
Little electric cars shaped like this one shouldn't be terribly expensive. They would be find for the day-to-day commute.
There's no reason Americans couldn't have a small commuter vehicle for getting to work, school, the corner store, or within town, and a larger vehicle for longer trips or bigger cargo hauls that you use only occasionally. If you could drive around town for 75% less fuel cost, yet still have a bigger vehicle for *only when it's needed*, wouldn't you?
That is so friggin cute!
It looks...squashed
Im I the only one who thinks this is is FUGLY?
I just wish they made a cheaper tesla
Actually, based solely on the amount of glass this vehicle contains, I think it's safe to label this car a deathtrap. Look at it: the roof is part of the windshield! Forget rolling or flipping it (a disastrous prospect); if you get into even a moderately bad accident in this car, you're screwed!