From enn "Nissan is making moves that could make it the major mass-market EV player among the established automakers."
The prototype of Nissan's forthcoming electric car may look like a breadbox, but the technology beneath that boxy body could propel the Japanese automaker to the front of the EV pack when the car hits the road next year.
Nissan may be a small player compared to the likes of General Motors, Toyota and Honda, but it's probably the most committed to EVs. CEO Carlos Ghosn has said in no uncertain terms that cars with cords are the future of the automobile. And he's backed that up with an all-in bet on a practical, affordable hatchback with decent range, reasonable recharge time and room for five people.
Oh - and Nissan says it'll cost about 90 cents to charge.
"It's a real car with 100-mile range," said Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning. "We may not be the first to market with an EV, but we'll be the first to mass-market an EV."
Forget hydrogen and ethanol. Electricity is the next big thing in cars. Just about everyone has jumped on the EV bandwagon, and most of the major automakers promise to have one on the road between 2010 and 2012.
General Motors, BMW, Daimler,Tesla, Chrysler and Every one of them could end up following Nissan to the party.
"Nissan could end up being the come-from-behind leader in the EV space because Carlos Ghosn has pushed them so aggressively," said Darryl Siry, an electric car expert and clean tech analyst at Peppercom. Article continues at Wired