cars news 10: Report: Nissan Says EV Sports Car Possible by 2020

Nissan isn’t in any rush to bring out an electric sports car, but such a vehicle is possible in a few years. Speaking with Autocar recently, Nissan Europe’s EV boss Gareth Dunsmore said an EV sports car could debut closer to 2020.

Nissan has the capability of building an electric sports car today, but the market isn’t ready, he said. “It’s a gradual thing…As we head towards 2020 you’ll see greater moves towards EVs,” Dunsmore told Autocar. “Governments are starting to support the move towards climate change objectives, and to get to that point needs a huge shift towards electric mobility.”

If Nissan wants to build an electric sports car, it needs to change the perception of EVs as appliances. And Dunsmore said that’s exactly what the brand is trying to accomplish. Enter the latest BladeGlider, a running EV prototype that Nissan debuted in Brazil earlier this month. The DeltaWing look-a-like produces 268 hp and features two electric motors, one powering each rear wheel. When an earlier BladeGlider prototype debuted in 2013, Nissan bosses said the concept hinted at a future production version. The updated concept seems to renew hopes that the BladeGlider is still on track for launch.

Meanwhile, Nissan is preparing a next-gen Leaf, which is expected to debut in 2018. The new Leaf, previewed by the Nissan IDS Concept last year, should achieve a range of more than 200 miles on a single charge.

Source: Autocar