Long before Tesla or Leaf, this Nissan electric car claimed a range of 155 miles
While we think broadly about General Motors EV1—Or the earlier Impact concept car — like Beginning of the era of electric cars. But there were others in that era, which followed a similar formula and could potentially hit the market sooner. One of them comes from Nissan.
As discussed recently by Nostalgic Japanese car (via Hemmings), the Nissan FEV concept introduced by the automaker at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show had similar packaging and specifications to the EVs to be produced in the following years and decades.
Like the EV1, the FEV (short for Future Electric Vehicle) is a compact two-door sedan designed with a smart teardrop shape, unlike the Honda Insight, Volkswagen XL1, and yes, the EV1. Its sleek silhouette, with headlights similar to those of the contemporary Nissan 300ZX sports car, gave the FEV a drag coefficient of 0.19. Low rolling resistance tires were specially made for the concept to further improve efficiency, while the heavy aluminum construction helps to reduce weight.
Concept electric car Nissan FEV 1991
Nissan said at the time that power was provided by a nickel-cadmium battery pack for a range of 155 km. A “high induction” electric motor can propel the FEV from 0-62 mph in 20 seconds and reach a top speed of 81 mph.
The FEV also features regenerative braking and what Nissan calls Super Quick Charge (SQC), which the automaker claims can charge 40% in just 6 minutes using a 200-volt source. At the time, Nissan said, it takes eight hours to fully recharge a standard Japanese 100-volt circuit.
In addition to fast charging, Nissan predicts a number of other features will eventually make it to production vehicles. The FEV concept features a heat pump to more efficiently regulate cabin temperatures, as well as a solar roof to provide additional power to the audio and climate control systems.
Concept electric car Nissan FEV 1991
While it won a 1992 Automation & Design Award Cover for its electric powertrain, the FEV has never entered production. While Nissan has shown research on a modular engine set to power the FEV, we’re not sure if a drivable version of the FEV will ever actually assist. concept statements or not – that could be the key differentiator from the EV1.
GM brought the EV1 into production as a response to California’s new zero-emissions vehicle requirement. While other automakers roll out EVs based on existing models, the EV1 is notable for its clean design. Yes, GM had avionics like it even before the Impact and EV1 — like the hybrid The Pontiac Pursuit Concept.
However, GM eventually lost the lead. It built just 1,117 EVs, which were leased to customers between 1998 and 2003 before the program was terminated. The automaker will start from scratch to develop the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Bolt EV.
Concept electric car Nissan FEV 1991
Meanwhile, Toyota is putting more effort into developing its first-generation hybrid system, which debuted on the original Prius for the Japanese market in 1997. We’ve asked a few different times. over the years whether Toyota has succeeded in improving the hybrid or not. blind it to the potential of EVs.
Of course, Nissan is finally rethinking all-electric cars. In many ways, you can see how the FEV concept previews the interior of the Nissan Leaf 2011, even if it was 20 years earlier. And there’s no such thing as Carlos Ghosn who championed The Leaf – and of course Elon Musk – we probably won’t see electricity in quite the same way as the future of the automobile.
