The New York International Auto Show was the stage used by Nissan to unveil the Denki Cube concept car. This electric vehicle is the next stage in the Nissan Green Program 2010 that outlines the automaker’s desire for more sustainable vehicles. The Denki Cube is intended as the first step toward a commercial hybrid vehicle in 2010, an electric vehicle by 2015 and the advancement of plug-in technologies throughout the next decade.
Nissan’s Denki Cube looks similar to the Honda Element or Scion xB in terms of body construction. This electric vehicle has laminated electrical cells that create double the energy capacity over competing batteries. The lithium-ion battery is the creation of Nissan, NEC and the NEC Tokin Corporation. These companies have assessed the current market for electric vehicles and combined forces to design batters for increased performance without exorbitant costs.
The goal for Nissan in the next year is to produce a gas-powered version of the Denki Cube for the United States and Canada. The traditional version of the Denki Cube should give the automaker and its partners an opportunity to see how customers feel about the unorthodox design. Motorists in Asia and Europe have taken to cars of different shapes and sizes but Americans are fussier about body design. The Scion xB remains a niche vehicle among younger drivers while the Honda Element is marketed as a heavy-duty vehicle to traditional motorists.
Nissan has experienced growing popularity among drivers looking for safe and fuel-efficient vehicles in recent years. It seems that Nissan is stealing the thunder of American automakers like Ford in the gas-powered and alternative fuel markets. Nissan sedans, SUVs and trucks share similar traits to Ford vehicles with better gas mileage.
The announcement of the electric-powered Denki Cube concept as well as continued progress toward Nissan’s Green Program goals is encouraging for drivers concerned about gas mileage. Automakers like Tesla Motors and MDI do not put the same scare into powerhouses like Ford and BMW as Nissan. The key factor in the Denki Cube’s success or failure is whether motorists look under the hood instead of behind the wheel during the shopping process.
