Powerful and sleek, the BladeGlider Concept could revolutionize Nissan’s electric fleet.
In advance of the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan has released a preview of the future of its electric auto fleet with the BladeGlider concept.
At first look, many might scoff at the idea of actually building such a futuristic coupe. Though don’t mistake it for a disconnected concept car, Nissan has termed it an “exploratory prototype”; stating that it has every intention of bringing the BladeGlider concept all the way to production.
As strange as this prototype may seem at first, it does stem from a rich pedigree. Based on the ZEOD RC and DeltaWing testbeds – both of which turned heads on the racetrack – the BladeGlider has all the makings of a breakthrough commercial sports car. The BladeGlider is also amazingly efficient. Constructed around a lightweight, carbon-fiber body, the aerodynamic V-shape of the three wheel design serves to drastically reduce drag whilst optimizing the vehicle’s stability. The car is so efficient, in fact, that Nissan’s engineers have suggested it will consume less power than the all-electric LEAF EV.
In terms of the actual design, Nissan says the vehicle will be rear-wheel drive and will use two in-wheel electric motors powered by lithium-ion batteries. It will also sport two radical gullwing doors, a 1+2 driver-passenger seat configuration, and a steering column that makes the car look more like a spaceship than a roadster.
Beyond its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan has remained impressively tightlipped about the details of the BladeGlider’s production; but as the exploratory prototype “mature[s] into a production car” (Nissan’s words, not mine) you can bet we’ll keep you posted.
Image and Video Courtesy of Nissan