The world’s leading car manufacturer Nissan describes its futuristic concept car Land Glider as a new vehicle for urban mobility that has the potential to become a means of transportation in urban areas.
Features of zero-emission electric "Land Glider"
Inspired by motorbikes and glider aircraft, the zero-emission Electric Vehicle (EV) Land Glider has tilting wheels and moving bumpers that enable it to sashay into curves by up to a 17-degree angle.
Just 110 centimeters (43 inches) wide, the electric vehicle can easily fit into tight parking spaces and maneuver through narrow streets, according to Yokohama-based Nissan.
"In the past a car used to move only in a two dimensional way but the Land Glider can move in a three dimensional way," Nissan's Ryusuke Hayashi, who is overseeing the project, said at a preview of the car.
"Although you are driving on the road, you feel as if you are flying," he continued.
This ultra-compact and ultra-lightweight four-wheel car is convenient for town use and can run 100 km on a single charge.
The Land Glider seats two people- one in the front and one in the back. The EV with linear acceleration and the narrow body will help reduce traffic congestion and promote effective use of parking space, Nissan says.
Airplane-style controls
Instead of a steering wheel, the Land Glider has a flight yoke, and in place of the rear view mirrors it has cameras and monitors. Its cocoon-like cabin and glass-canopied roof make drivers feel like they're piloting a glider.
"It drives on the ground, but it looks like a glider flying in the air," said Kimiya Mochizuki, design director for the Land Glider at Creative Box Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Nissan.
Nissan, Japan’s third-largest carmaker, will display the Land Glider at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which opens to the public from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4. It will feature alongside the Leaf, an electric vehicle that the company plans to launch in Japan, Europe and North America in 2010.
Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second-largest automaker, is also bringing its battery-powered concept car, the EV-N, to the Tokyo Motor Show.
Another Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. is also showing its nifty Electric vehicle FT-EV II that has a roomy cube design at the show.
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Quote:
"Honda Motor
Co., Japan’s second-largest automaker, is also bringing its battery-powered concept car, the EV-N, to the Tokyo Motor Show.
Another Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. is also showing its nifty Electric vehicle FT-EV II that has a roomy cube design at the show."
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