A Nissan electric sportscar could be feasible by the turn of the decade, according to Gareth Dunsmore, director of electric vehicles for Nissan Europe. Speaking at the dynamic launch of the Nissan BladeGlider electric concept car, Dunsmore said that while it would be possible to produce an electric sportscar now, the market has to be ready for it – and while it isn’t yet, by 2020 the demand for electric vehicles will be much higher.
“As we head towards 2020 you’ll see greater moves towards EVs. Governments are starting to support the move towards climate change objectives, and to get to that point needs a huge shift towards electric mobility,” said Dunsmore.
The BladeGlider, then, is meant to change people’s perceptions of EVs for when the opportunity is right. Nissan already makes two sportscars – the 370Z and the GT-R – but both have high-consumption petrol engines.
“We need to demonstrate the value of the vehicle,” said Dunsmore, who confirmed that Nissan is attempting to make the image of electric vehicles more exciting. The BladeGlider is effectively a development of first the DeltaWing, then the Zeod RC endurance racing cars. It has two electric motors, one driving each rear wheel, and can torque-vector to apportion power to an outside wheel if it deems it necessary
Despite the narrow front track the BladeGlider generates impressive cornering forces. Driver and development engineer Darren Cockle, from Nissan’s partner in the project, Williams Performance Engineering, says it’s impressively stable. “The (BladeGlider's) narrow track makes it more stable under braking,” he says, “and agile when it turns. It feels like it’s pivoting around the driver’s seat.” The BladeGlider has a top speed of around 185kph and a 0-100kph time of less than five seconds.