Nissan shows off latest electric car prototype with battery monitoring system, iPhone app

Nissan's started showing off its latest prototype electric car, based on the Versa. This one will house a 108 horsepower / 206 pound-feet electric motor to drive the front wheels, and a 24 kWh, lithium ion battery pack will be fitted under the floor for storing electricity, with an expected range of 100 miles. To top things of nerd-style, the newest prototype will have a navigation system which will show the current life of the battery, and the mile range its current amount of juice will support, and will boast the ability to download info about nearby charging station locations. And need we say, "there's an app for that?" That's right, Nissan also has a working prototype of an iPhone app making the rounds in Japan which would allow users to communicate with their car remotely and find out the state of the battery's charge. Can this get any cooler?

Read - Nissan shows off new Versa-based electric vehicle protoype
Read - Nissan dials iPhone for car remote control

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 29th 2009 9:57AM]

the only problem for this is... hmm...
which battery runs out first? your iphone or your car? lol

[martymankins Posted Jul 27th 2009 8:21PM]

While the range is not that of the Tesla, it is getting closer. I'm looking forward to this technology gaining more ground.

I also realize that these vehicles should have already been populating the nation's highways 10 years ago, but at least now we are moving forward.

[Zamboro Posted Jul 28th 2009 10:28AM]

The range isn't an issue. When you're running low, pull into a battery exchange station.

http://www.betterplace.com/

There are videos of the first stations right on this site. They pull out the spent battery and pop in a freshly charged one in under 2 minutes, faster than gassing up. All the energy comes from the company's solar and windfarms too, none from coal or oil.

The best part is, you don't pay for the battery. You pay a few additional cents per mile. The result is that electric cars compatible with this standard will be far cheaper than those which are not, and cheaper even than gas powered cars.

Although this may be the first you've heard of PBP, it's not snake oil. Look into it. They're already building charging infrastructure in several other countries, and a few American cities. If there's an emerging business model for electric vehicles, this is it.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 28th 2009 5:04PM]

@bob

Thank you for this.
I posted a reply to someone about this, but did not explain it in detail.
Better Place is the future of electric cars. the best part is that they will subsidize the price of the cars so that everything is affordable. Not to mention that all of the energy will come from green sources. It will be a while before the entire US adopts this though *sniff*

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 28th 2009 9:16AM]

check out betterplace.com
you will see the future of electric cars

[bp Posted Jul 28th 2009 9:13AM]

Everyones missing a trick here!

I charge my phone at WORK so I don't have to pay more for electricity, just imagine...