BladeGlider
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Nissan made a working prototype of its BladeGlider EV hotrod
Nissan is getting serious again about its futuristic BladeGlider EV. The delta-shaped, single-front-seater (with two rear seats) was first introduced in 2013, but after saying it might sell the car, the automaker quietly dropped the idea. Now, Nissan has revealed two working BladeGlider prototypes in Rio de Janeiro that it built in conjunction with Formula 1 fabricator Williams. With twin 130-kilowatt motors producing 268 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of instant torque (yep), the EV can get to 62 mph in under five seconds and reach a 115 mph top speed.
You won't be able to buy Nissan's futuristic three-seater EV after all
Bad news for anyone who wanted a three-seated electric supercar, because Nissan's Batmobile-esque BladeGlider isn't coming to market. Autoblog is reporting that recent executive changes at the company have meant that new executives are having second thoughts about selling the insane vehicle to the public. Incoming planning officer Philippe Klein told Autocar that the long-awaited retail model was "not among the [company's] immediate priorities," which is executive speak for shut up and stop asking.
Nissan's BladeGlider electric concept car should definitely race the Batmobile (eyes-on)
We already knew that Nissan's eye-catching electric car concept looked fit for a superhero, but it's honestly not just comic-book premise. A Nissan spokesperson told us that the BladeGlider is a very early prototype aimed towards for-real vehicle production. To its credit, with some geometry skills and practice, you could probably fit two BladeGliders into a standard parking space. Perhaps even more incredibly, the BladeGlider also apparently uses less energy than Nissan's eponymous Leaf EV. The car draws on a lot of design cues from the DeltaWing, a car that Nissan worked on and one that previously did the rounds at Le Mans, among other raceways. Development then judiciously plucked design and engineering pointers from the ZEOD RC, its hybrid electric race car. As you'd expect from a car that's striving towards the future, the twin doors rise upwards rather than swinging out. Sure, we've seen that before -- 30 years earlier -- but in this concept car the entire cockpit also pitches to the side to make space for the driver's exit or entrance. It's no solo car, however, and there's space for two passengers in the back. And that shape: the front of the car is a meter wide, opening up to 1.8 meters along the back. There aren't many cars out there like the BladeGlider -- check out a shot of the HUD after the break.
Nissan's BladeGlider: an electric sportscar fit for a superhero
It's the Batmobile, it's a Star Wars Starfighter, no it's actually Nissan's BladeGlider. This is the Japanese company's futuristic electric sportscar design that's built with speed in mind. It has a carbon fiber-covered body that's shaped like a rocket with a narrow nose and a wider rear. Beyond its Lambo-like doors is a sci-fi-worthy steering wheel placed smack dab in the middle where the driver seat is -- the two passengers that can fit in the vehicle will have to make peace with being backseat drivers. The automaker's keeping mum on the finer details (don't hold your breath for an anti drunk-driving tech, though), but it says the rear tires will be fitted with in-wheel electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries. Company officials also say that due to the car's design and reduced weight, it consumes less energy than its popular Leaf EV. While this looks very much like just another fancy concept, Nissan claims the car is much more than that, even calling it an "exploratory prototype" that it wishes to bring to production. It'll likely take some time before you can cruise the streets in the BladeGlider, but those in Japan can catch a glimpse of it at the Tokyo Motor Show in late November.
