VIDEO: Nissan Esflow Sports Coupe Concept in Some Tron-Like Digital Action

Leaving aside the name which sounds like something a German (no offense) would say to an English bloke that stole his parking space, Nissan's Geneva motorshow-bound Esflow concept is a very interesting proposal for a pure-electric sports coupe. It uses the Leaf's battery technology but with a lot more juice from the electric motors that motivate the rear wheels and a dramatic coupe styling. Following an initial release with photos and preliminary details (see here), Nissan has now published a CGI video of the sports coupe study that you can watch right after the break.

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Nissan Esflow is a Small RWD Sports Coupe Concept that runs on Electricity and it will Debut in Geneva

The time has come for Nissan to release its plans for the rapidly approaching Geneva Salon. For this year's edition of the show, the Japanese automaker has prepared an impressive sports coupe concept named the ESFLOW. It has most of the right ingredients to satisfy purists, including a rear-wheel drive layout, a 0 to 100km/h [62 mph] sprint time of under 5 seconds, two seats and an aggressive design, but there's a catch: it runs purely on electricity.

The Japanese automaker claims it has "captured the excitement of a sports car and the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle and blended them into one dramatic two-seater concept".

The ESFLOW has been created from the ground up as a pure electric vehicle using technology introduced in the Leaf EV. The concept model runs on two electric motors with an unspecified output that are placed above the axis of the rear wheels, in a mid-ship position. These motors independently control the left and right wheels, with Nissan claiming that the torque is optimized to ensure vehicle stability and control as well as efficient power regeneration.

The company says the electric motors produce enough torque in an instant for the car to reach 100km/h (62 mph) in under 5 seconds.

The motors are powered from the same laminated lithium-ion battery packs used in the Leaf, but in ESFLOW the packs are located along the axis of the front and rear wheel. The batteries are said to offer a driving range of over 240 kilometers or 149 miles on a single charge.

The car also features a composite body that covers an aluminium chassis which incorporates its own roll cage.

We don't have any photos of the interior yet, but Nissan said the cabin is "clean and open" with weight saving measures being a priority throughout its design.

And just in case you were wondering about the type of customer that Nissan envisions buying the ESFLOW, the automaker released a short fictional story which you can check out below.

[From Nissan Press Release]

The Driver

Daniel, an ESFLOW owner, works in tech, but lives for the weekend. On Friday night after work, he gets behind the wheels of his ESFLOW which instantly links with his pocket PDA and determines the fastest route to his girlfriend’s home. Finding street side parking is a synch as the ESFLOW’s compact dimensions allow it to slip into the narrowest of spaces. On Saturday he drives to a popular club to exhibit his DJ skills and his friends are impressed by his cool EV sports car.

On Sunday he drives through the mountains for leisure. ESFLOW’s superb weight distribution and unobstructed view ahead enables him to effortlessly nail every apex, every time. His descent from the mountains is more relaxed and he allows the ESFLOW to overrun on the long sweeping curves, turning the potential energy he and the car gained climbing up the gradients back in to electrical energy he can use once he hits the roads around Barcelona.

As his ESFLOW sips energy in its garage Daniel prepares himself for the week ahead, batteries fully recharged.

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Nissan Announces Nine Models for Tokyo Auto Salon Including Juke Sporty and Leaf Aero Concept

At the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2011 with NAPAC (Japan Car Parts and Aftermarket Promotion Association), to be held from January 14 to 16, Nissan, together with Autech Japan and its in-house NISMO performance division, will premiere a total of nine vehicles.

Highlights will include the zero-emission LEAF Aero Style Concept equipped with a futuristic looking bodykit and matching alloy wheel designs, and a special version of the Juke fitted with exterior accessories designed for the European and North American market models.

Autech Japan will showcase three vehicles, including the Elgrand Rider Premium Concept, which is the JDM version of the N.A. Quest minivan, the customized Serena Rider and the March-Based Bolero (Micra for those outside Japan).

Finally, NISMO will present its new production race car, the GT-R RC, alongside the tuned 355HP Fairlady Z (370Z) and the GT-R racecar that competed in the 2010 SUPER GT series.

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Nissan Ellure Concept: Video, Plus Live Photos from LA Show Floor

We've already covered the Nissan Ellure Concept, so you've probably seen our gallery consisting of 55 pictures. However, those images don't do it justice. The swooping lines and sharp edges are not so evident, neither is the balance between the boomerang-themed headlamps and aggressive front grille. But fear not, even if you don't make it to the LA Show, you can get a better view of the Ellure through the video (and the live shots) we have added after the jump.

By Csaba Daradics

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LA Show 2010: Nissan's Ellure Sedan Targets Sophisticated Female Eco-Rebels [52 Photos]

Besides dropping its Murano CrossCabriolet at this year's LA Auto Show, Nissan has also brought the Ellure concept. Nissan says the Ellure represents Nissan's commitment to the sedan segment, but not any particular upcoming model. If anything, take this as a 4-door design exercise that's "an ideal fit for the needs of its [potential] projected owners, women in their '30s and '40s with a sense of sophistication and rebellion."

The Ellure gets its "aerodynamic" on thanks to an underbody pan, covered 21-inch wheels covered with clear plates, and those sinuous curves. Also, the grille is inspired by a formal samurai coat, or Kamishino, while the rear takes cues from the Torii gates found on Shinto shrines (Nissan/Infiniti has been really good lately about integrating Japanese culture into their designs, don't you think?).

Shiro Nakamura, Nissan senior VP and Chief Creative Officer, says, "Aerodynamics has become a critical element of design for all vehicles today, not just hybrids or EVs. We've used Ellure to explore subtle ways to reduce or eliminate body openings that can cause drag, such as the solid yet transparent coverings on the wheels and grilles, without impacting the beauty of the vehicle."

The "Molten" interior, which houses a floating center console, incorporates lines from the concept's exterior to help fuse passenger and passer-by experiences. Also, there is a full wraparound treatment from front to back that starts with the dashboard and moves around the "lounge-like" rear seat. Eco-materials are used throughout, too, like chrome-free "eco-tanned" leather on the dash and eco-suede on the front seats (ultra-suede in back, playa).

The powertrain is "conceived" as a 2.5-liter supercharged 4-cylinder engine connected to a 25 kW electric motor driving the front wheels through an Xtronic continuously variable transmission.

Anyone else think this is what the next Sentra should look like? It better, because otherwise Hyundai's Elantra is going to own the compact segment on looks alone.

By Phil Alex

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