EVs Racing Ahead – Hot Laps at Nissan 360
As electric vehicle racing becomes more popular, it’s beginning to look like Nissan’s NISMO-modified Leaf electric wasn’t such a silly idea after all. First seen in 2011, the Leaf NISMO RC is a lightweight carbon-fiber race car with fully electric drive. It doesn’t have much relationship to the roadgoing Leaf, other than its headlights and 107-horsepower electric motor. It’s shorter, wider and lower than the production car, and the power goes from the electric motor to the rear wheels rather than the front. A double-wishbone suspension is used at all four corners. The horsepower figure may seem low for a “race” vehicle, but the NISMO RC’s extremely light weight and excellent balance ensure that the 207 pound-feet of torque on tap will take it quite a long way. Nissan says it’ll accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 6.85 seconds and tops out at 93mph. Under racing conditions, the Leaf NISMO RC can run for about twenty minutes.
At the recent “Nissan 360” drive event, however, the Leaf NISMO RC was on hand for hot laps. Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga was on hand to take a drive, among others. Check out the video for some highlights.
