Nissan’s unveiled its BladeGlider concept, offering a suggestion for future electric sports cars that thinks outside the box. In this case, literally: the BladeGlider is a triangular four-wheeler, similar to the DeltaWing racer that Nissan’s had a hand in. The BladeGlider offers a driver and two passengers open-air, emissions-free motoring, and Nissan seems to be seriously considering production.
The BladeGlider’s narrow front track and wide-set rear wheels are inspired, like the DeltaWing, by high-performance aircraft. The shape provides low aerodynamic drag and generates downforce to keep the tires planted. The chassis is made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, and sculpted lines take inspiration from gliders and personal aircraft. A retractable hard canopy provides open-air motoring. The triangular seating configuration gives the passengers a unique view of the road ahead, and the driving controls are also aircraft-influenced.
Electric power is used to turn the rear wheels, and Nissan hints that a production version could be the company’s first use of in-wheel motors. In fact, Nissan’s press release says, “when the BladeGlider matures into a production car.” Not “if!” Battery power is similar to the lithium-ion batteries in the LEAF, and they’re mounted low and to the rear to aid stability. The BladeGlider’s 30/70 weight distribution will provide unique handling that may take some getting used to, however.
“BladeGlider was conceived around delivering a glider-like exhilaration that echoes its lightweight, downsized hyper-efficient aerodynamic form,” says Shiro Nakamura, Nissan’s senior vice president and chief creative officer. “This design is more than revolutionary; it’s transformational, applying our most advanced electric drive-train technology and racetrack-inspired styling in the service of a new dimension of shared driving pleasure.”
Nissan also continues to take steps forward with electric-car performance. The Leaf-based ZEOD RC will take part in this year’s 24 Hours of LeMans, and the high-performance lessons learned there will no doubt be applied when the BladeGlider hits the streets.
When. Not if.
