Nismo LEAF Unveiled!!!

[TRONZ]

I wonder if it has a space frame underneath the skin or a standard chasis?

For this answer, please see the two interior shots posted at the Net Car Shows gallery.

http://www.netcarshow.com/nissan/2011-leaf_nismo_rc_concept/03.htm

 

[mwalsh]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXXjEM6BSEw[/youtube]

 

[Herm]

For this answer, please see the two interior shots posted at the Net Car Shows gallery.

http://www.netcarshow.com/nissan/2011-leaf_nismo_rc_concept/03.htm

apparently neither a space frame nor the standard chassis, but a monocoque carbon fiber chassis

http://www.netcarshow.com/nissan/2011-leaf_nismo_rc_concept/800x600/wallpaper_19.htm

http://www.netcarshow.com/nissan/2011-leaf_nismo_rc_concept/800x600/wallpaper_1a.htm

 

[rainnw]

Thats a reasonable 0-60 -- would love to have the firmware image for that.

 

[evnow]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6zA28q73fM[/youtube]

 

[TRONZ]

Drool! The faster spool up of the motor is very apparent. Shows what eliminating 1500lbs of weight does for a LEAF. Looks like Nissan will be getting a ton of data and software/component testing for their "sports car". And paving the way for the marketing of such a vehicle as well.

 

[DaveEV]

Another video clip of NISMO testing the car and interviews with engineer and driver. They are pushing the car harder this time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPYmge92P0A[/youtube]

 

[palmermd]

I hope they can find a way to remove enough weight to make the car perform like this....

http://www.youtube.com/embed/-f0p4Qu2qxc?rel=0

[youtube]-f0p4Qu2qxc[/youtube]

 

[EVDRIVER]

Once they put in a proper motor, the stock motor is not designed for performance.

 

[palmermd]

80kW is not going to cut it for racing unless the get down below 1500lbs. Since that is not going to likely happen then they need to put in a 300kW power-train.

 

[Herm]

It would be racing with other identical cars so there is no need to upgrade anything. only driver safety issues. Its a great way to stress test all the electrical components in a Leaf, including the battery under fast charge/discharge conditions.

 

[DaveEV]

80kW is not going to cut it for racing unless the get down below 1500lbs. Since that is not going to likely happen then they need to put in a 300kW power-train.

It's already down to 2058 lbs - even just 200 kW would be more than enough (after all w/just 80 kW they can already drain it in 20 minutes with just the 80 kW motor - w/200 kW they could probably drain it in less than 10 minutes), but they probably need a couple gears to get some decent top speed out of it without killing low-speed acceleration.

 

[jwatte]

You don't need any gears. That's the beauty of electric!
See this, from a few years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qDZOBQs60w
(Wrightspeed X1 prototype -- sadly never got venture backing even though it would beat the Tesla at the same price point)

 

[DaveEV]

You don't need any gears. That's the beauty of electric!
See this, from a few years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qDZOBQs60w
(Wrightspeed X1 prototype -- sadly never got venture backing even though it would beat the Tesla at the same price point)

Electric motors still have efficiency curves and power/torque curves. While they are much flatter than a gas/diesel engine, they can still use the mechanical advantage to improve efficiency/acceleration/top speed.

80 kW is more than enough to get your average vehicle well over 100 mph - the race car should be able to do 120 at least with it's low profile.

There's a reason why Tesla spent so much R&D on their 2-speed gearbox - what's funny is that the improvements to the electronics caught up and allowed them to meet their performance goals before they could build a reliable 2-speed transmission...

 

[palmermd]

80kW is not going to cut it for racing unless the get down below 1500lbs. Since that is not going to likely happen then they need to put in a 300kW power-train.

It's already down to 2058 lbs - even just 200 kW would be more than enough (after all w/just 80 kW they can already drain it in 20 minutes with just the 80 kW motor - w/200 kW they could probably drain it in less than 10 minutes), but they probably need a couple gears to get some decent top speed out of it without killing low-speed acceleration.

I did not mean to confuse everyone, but I was referring to making a Nismo Leaf that could keep up with that car on the 3 minute hill climb, not race on a track as Nissan is intending to do with the Nismo car. Racing on the track with the stock power-train is far more valuable to Nissan and frankly for us Leaf owners as well, but I just thought that run up the hill was frighteningly fast, and could only imagine what kind of power that guy had in his car.