The Infiniti Emerg-E uses a mid-mounted range-extending drivetrain.
Who says battery cars have to be dull to downright boring? True, the Toyota Prius and Mitsubishi i likely won’t win design awards but the new Infiniti Emerg-E suggests that battery cars can be downright Sex-E.
The Infiniti concept is the latest in a string of concepts and production cars coming to the Geneva Motor Show next month that have already leaked out.
The luxury arm of Nissan Motor Co. has been hinting for some time that it plans to follow its bigger sibling and enter the electric vehicle market. Exactly what role the Emerg-E will actually have in the Infiniti line-up remains to be seen but it’s certainly going to draw some attention with looks that are more than a little reminiscent of the new McLaren MP4-12C.
But instead of a 600-horsepower small-block V-8, the Infiniti Emerg-E features a range-extended electric drivetrain. Details are set to follow but if you look closely at the images here you’ll notice the mid-mounted gasoline engine side of that powertrain is clearly visible beneath the show car’s all-glass roof.
The drivetrain in the battery supercar is visible under the Emerg-E's all-glass roof.
This isn’t the first time Infiniti has shown a gas-electric concept vehicle. It initially revealed the 600-horsepower Essence at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. But according to brand managers they’re finally getting ready to bring the technology to market. At least initially, however, the focus will be on a production electric vehicle borrowing the basic platform of the Nissan Leaf.
Could a more exotic plug-in like the Emerg-E be in the works? The maker has hinted that it clearly sees other options. And the market for extreme electric vehicles is just getting charged up. After a frustrating delay, Fisker finally is shipping its range-extending Karma to showrooms. (Click Here for a review of the Fisker Karma.) Jaguar, meanwhile, has promised to put into production a limited run of plug-ins based on the widely hailed C-X75, which was first shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
A look inside the Infiniti Emerg-E concept.
While the Infiniti Emerg-E was clearly influenced by the MP4-12C and Ferrari’s 458, it maintains some of the Japanese brand’s distinctive styling cues, including the large front grille and pinched rear quarter windows. Add in the wide rear flank, monstrous cooling ducts – including a scoop on the roof and turbine-style alloy wheels and the visual effect is decidedly more menacing than that of a Prius or Chevrolet Volt.
The Infiniti Emerg-E cabin, meanwhile, features sculpted leather seats, a racing-style wheel, and ice blue ambient lighting.
We’ll get more information on the Infiniti Emerg-E at the maker’s Geneva Motor Show news conference in little more than a week. Meanwhile, Infiniti is expected to reveal its new Leaf-based battery electric vehicle at the New York Auto Show in April.