Nissan reveals a race-ready version of its Leaf battery car at the NY Auto Show.
Who says green cars have to be slow and boring?
True, you won’t set any land speed records with the likes of the Nissan Leaf, but the Japanese maker is nonetheless studying the motorsports possibilities of a specially tuned NISMO RC – as in Racing Competition – version of the little battery car.
Set to make its formal debut at this week’s New York Auto Show, the Nissan Leaf NISMO RC bears a clear resemblance to the more conventional battery-electric vehicle that started rolling into U.S. dealer showrooms last December. But there are also some significant differences, including a carbon fiber monocoque that’s 20% lighter than the stock Leaf’s platform.
To further curb weight – which comes in at just 2,068 pounds for the Leaf NISMO RC – Nissan engineers have switched to a 2-door design while trimming the car’s wheelbase by 3.9 inches, though it’s 0.8 inches longer overall and 6.7 inches wider. The most distinct difference is height, the race version lowered nearly 14 inches compared to a standard Nissan Leaf. Ground clearance has been cut to 2.4 inches from the stock 6.3.
They’ve tossed out such unneeded items as the radio and navigation system, and the side windows don’t roll down. They’ve also relocated the battery closer to the middle of the Leaf NISMO RC to improve its center of gravity.
There are notable body works changes to improve aerodynamics, such as the front chin and large rear wing.
The basic driveline is familiar, however, the 80 kilowatt motor turning out 107 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. Electric motors actually have some advantages over an internal combustion engine, in that they yield large amounts of torque – which reaches peak the moment that motor starts spinning. So with all the other modifications in place, Nissan claims the Leaf NISMO RC will get up to 60 in 6.85 seconds – about a third faster than the road-ready battery car. Top speed is 93 mph.
There is a big downside, however, and that’s the lithium-ion battery. The NISMO edition will go just 20 minutes, with your foot on the floor, before it’s out of juice. A 220-volt Level II charger would require a very un-Indy-like 6 hours or more to charge, though a Level III fast charger would be able to give an 80% “fill-up” in just 30 minutes.
For the moment, this is just a concept vehicle, though Nissan hints it is considering a zero-emissions race series.
“Combining the talents of NISMO, Nissan’s world renowned motorsports group, and engineers behind some of the company’s Super GT and FIA GT1 race teams, the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC will serve as a rolling laboratory for the accelerated development of EV and aerodynamic systems, as well as a platform for the development of new green motorsports series,” said Carlos Tavares, chairman of Nissan Americas, and the designated keynote speaker for the NY Auto Show.
But when it comes to considering a racing series using battery power, Nissan is not alone. In fact, there are some programs already in operation and others likely to follow. Even the folks at Formula One are hearing the appeal of alternative power.
“We want, as soon as possible, to have new categories with new energy,” Jean Todt, president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, or FIA, recently announced. (For more, Click Here.)
While that’s not locked in stone, Formula One teams will soon begin using hybrid assist systems that could deliver tremendous bursts of power coming out of corners. Lotus plans to adopt that technology for use on future road-going models.