Nissan plans electric Infiniti, commercial van
Automotive News reports on Nissan's plans for electric vehicles beyond the Leaf.
TOKYO -- Infiniti will get an electric vehicle as early as 2012, and Nissan Motor Co. also will create an electric commercial van to sell to governments and fleet customers.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the electric Infiniti will be "a compact luxury car--a stylish, high-performance four-seater with zero emissions."
He did not say whether the electric Infiniti would use a unique platform or one derived from the Nissan Leaf family car. For several years, Nissan has been engineering separate platforms to keep the Nissan and Infiniti brands distinct.
Nissan is ramping up to produce its electric five-passenger Leaf starting in late 2010, with hopes for sales as high as 150,000 units a year.
Ghosn said the commercial van will be an electric version of the NV200, a small light commercial van Nissan is preparing to build in Canton, Miss.
Andy Palmer, Nissan senior vice president in charge of zero-emission vehicles, Infiniti and global light commercial vehicles, suggested the electric vans could be used as taxis or postal delivery vehicles.
He also said Nissan was motivated by requests from governments and large delivery services for an electric delivery vehicle.
Separately, Nissan officials indicated that Infiniti also is considering a production vehicle based on an electric concept vehicle called the Land Glider. The futuristic concept is a narrow motorcycle-shaped car with only a driver's seat and a one-person back seat.
(Source: Automotive News)