Nissan Wants More EVs, Might Produce an Electric Sports Car

Is there a Nissan competitor to the BMW i8 in the works? A senior executive has hinted there might be.

Speaking to Auto Express, senior vice-president Shiro Nakamura said an electric sports car is one option the automaker is considering for its upcoming modular vehicle platform.

The key, said Nakamura, is the placement of the batteries, as placing them under the floor (like in the Nissan Leaf) would raise the ride height too much — something they wouldn’t be worried about if it were a utility-minded model.

Nissan engineers are currently mulling ways of integrating a battery pack into the new architecture.

As one of the first automakers to bring a fully-electric vehicle to market, Nissan wants to branch out and become a bigger player in the EV game. That means joining other automakers in planning a line of electric models, rather than a one-off.

“We’re the leading EV manufacturer, but I don’t think we can make it just off one EV, so we want to grow the portfolio – that’s our next plan,” Nakamura told Auto Express. “It could be a crossover, it could be a sports car; we see much more opportunity for EVs than just a hatchback.”

Nissan’s past concept cars could hint at its future offerings. In 2011 it unveiled the Esflow electric sports car concept, and last year showed off the Gripz — a hybrid sport crossover — at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Whatever form it takes, Nakamura figures a non-Leaf Nissan EV won’t be available for another five years.

Nissan embarked on the modular platform trend via a joint venture with its strategic partner Renault in 2013. The next generation of the platform is being designed to accommodate a range of propulsion sources, a cost-saving measure being adopted by other automakers, among them Subaru.

[Image: Nissan Motor Company]