Everybody knows that Nissan is not the one for daring, groundbreaking concepts. But their latest creation might change that perception for good. Meet the Nissan BladeGlider concept, a high-performance electric sport car with futuristic design. Does this preview an upcoming EV sportscar from Nissan?
That remains to be seen. Nissan says the BladeGlider is designed to give the driver and passengers “sustainable exhilaration” so while it has a race car look and feel and a glider-like view of the surroundings, it is powered by the same electric system that powers the Nissan LEAF.
The BladeGlider does not actually glide, but it features the soaring, silent, panoramic freedom of a glider and the triangular shape of a high performance “swept wing” aircraft. At its widest point Nissan BladeGlider is only 1 meter wide. It takes its inspiration from the Deltawing project, with the front wheels close together to reduce drag and enhance manoeuvrability for high-G cornering.
The concept features a lightweight yet rigid body and structure made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) finished in a pearlescent white colour. Inside the canopy, the cockpit seats three in a triangular configuration with the driver centre-forward, operating an aircraft-type steering wheel and state-of-the-art instrumentation technology.
Crucially for a sports car, Nissan BladeGlider is rear-wheel-drive. Performance numbers have not been revealed yet, but given what Nissan achieved with the ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car), it ought to be good.
