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motoring news

Nissan BladeGlider high-performance electric vehicle debuts in Rio

The company’s futuristic concept car is finally here.

NISSAN HAS UNVEILED the working prototype of its futuristic BladeGlider vehicle, which combines zero emissions with high performance in a revolutionary sports car design.

Based on concept cars first seen at the Tokyo Auto Show back in 2013, the demonstration cars feature an advanced chassis configuration with a narrow front track and wider rear track for “optimum aerodynamic efficiency and handling stability.”

The car also has dramatic high-waisted, rear-hinged dihedral doors and its open top is reinforced with an integrated roll-over protection structure.

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Inside, the seats are covered in a tough and grippy blend of fabric and epoxy resin and feature four-point safety harnesses for both driver and two passengers.

The wheel-mounted controls feed back to a display system showing the car’s vitals and flanking the central display are two screens which show the images from two rear-view cameras mounted just behind the front wheels. These cameras do away with the need for wing mirrors.

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Power is supplied by a high performance five-module lithium-ion 220kW battery and the maximum speed of the demonstration models is in excess of 190km/h, with 0-100km/h taking less than 5 seconds.

The rear-wheel-drive is provided by two 130kW electric motors – one for each wheel. There are two BladeGliders in Rio. One is on static display while the second will be offering dynamic rides to media and VIPs.

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