Nissan BladeGlider concept to debut at Tokyo Motor Show

Nissan, the Japanese automaker has announced that it will unveil its all-new BladeGlider concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. According to the company, BladeGlider is both a proposal for the future direction of Nissan electric vehicle (EV) development and an exploratory prototype of an upcoming production vehicle from the world's leading EV manufacturer.

Nissan BladeGlider's shape alone, with its narrow front track, challenges the orthodoxy that has dominated the roads since the earliest days of the internal combustion engine. BladeGlider has its conceptual roots in two aerial images: the soaring, silent, panoramic freedom of a glider and the triangular shape of a high performance "swept wing" aircraft. It is therefore fitting that, in terms of engineering, BladeGlider's developmental focus was aerodynamics: achieving low drag (cdA) while generating road-hugging downforce.

Disruptive and challenging to the status quo, BladeGlider shares sustainable engineering values with both Nissan LEAF -- the best-selling EV in history -- and the Nissan ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car), which will make its debut at next year's Le Mans 24 Hour race.

To power the electric motors, BladeGlider employs Nissan's innovative lithium-ion battery technology, proven in Nissan LEAF. Battery modules are mounted low and toward the rear to enhance stability and handling. Its tightly streamlined deltoid body comprises a tough and structurally optimized chassis wrapped in ultra-lightweight, yet strong and stiff, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) finished in a pearlescent white color that evokes the pristine freedom of a glider. The racing-inspired exterior features a sculpted contour that is both functional and breathtakingly beautiful. Starting from the low, flat and narrow nose, the body line rises gracefully to the cockpit canopy and then curves forcefully back over the large rear wheels, evoking a sense of dynamic movement even when the vehicle is standing still.

Inside the canopy, the cockpit seats three in a triangular configuration with the driver center-forward. Seating appointments feature special light and comfortable coverings with yellow fluorescent lines. Amid simple yet edgy interior styling cues, an aircraft-type steering wheel and state-of-the-art instrumentation technology complete the glider-like image. To support maximum EV cruising efficiency, the IT system can display relief maps and atmospheric conditions.

As a rear-drive performance car, BladeGlider exhibits a coherent and linear handling that enables it to consistently hug road curves, providing feedback for intuitive and exhilarating steering control when cornering under threshold conditions.