4:54 am, December 7, 2011
THE problem with electric cars is they are just a little bit too boring, right? Well, they won’t be if Nissan’s head of R&D gets his wish.
Mitsuhiko Yamashita, head of research and development for the Japanese manufacturer, wants the next GT-R to be electric powered.
This year’s Tokyo Motor Show has been dominated by green technologies, including EV and hybrid, and it’s clear the industry is rapidly heading that way.
However, most concepts at the show were ‘commuter vehicles’ not supercars.
Yamashita said: ‘The current GT-R has around four years of life left before it is replaced and I can’t see the current power source being carried over into the next model as it is.
‘There needs to be innovation. Electrification is certainly a possibility and I prefer that over hybrid technology for the GT-R.
‘There are lots of different possibilities for the car, but I would say that electrification is necessary. How far we could go will depend on the character and the performance we can get though.’
Nissan was again showing off its ESFLOW performance electric car in Tokyo – a concept that debuted in Geneva – so it’s clear the maker thinks there is a market for a sporty EV. Currently only Tesla sells a performance electric model, but it is highly unlikely it will remain the only option for long.
Shoichi Miyatani, head of Nissan’s performance arm, Nismo, also hinted at the future potential of sporty EVs in a separate interview.
He said: ‘It is possible to make EVs very fast. Maximum speed on our Leaf race car is the same as the road car, but acceleration is much quicker. EVs can be very nimble and an EV sports car for the road is something we should explore.’
One of the major benefits of electric power trains is that maximum torque is available instantly meaning they are very easy to tune for performance. However, only time will tell if purists will accept an electric powered version of Godzilla.
