OEM INTERVIEW NISSAN
www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com // January 2020 // 123
early research shows that we have been able
to achieve huge gains in cornering ability and
acceleration to deliver a really high
performance driving experience,” says Fukuda.
The research in question sees a nextgeneration
Leaf e+ test car equipped with front
and rear high-power EM57 electric motors,
integrated with Nissan-developed chassis
control technology. This separate motor
system generates 227kW of maximum output
and 680Nm of maximum torque. This mighty
output is kept in check by the ultra-highprecision
motor control provided by Nissan’s
advanced EV technology, which off ers highly
responsive, yet smooth acceleration.
But rather than simply make the new
technology about outright performance,
Nissan’s engineers have been working hard
to increase ride comfort by reducing the
amount of pitch and dive associated with heavy
regenerative braking systems. To do this,
Nissan adds regenerative rear motor braking
to the standard front motor regenerative
braking to balance it out.
“Of course, the customers are going to
benefi t from the boost in performance with
something like our Ariya concept, but we also
wanted to ensure it can also off er added
stability across various surfaces,” Fukuda says.
“We don’t look to the Middle East or really
tricky desert conditions, but we expect a
majority of the customers would ski or want
to drive up a slippery mountain pass. We can
provide the best in class performance,
compared to an ICE, with EV all-wheel-drive,
thanks to the precise control over each axle.”
Power to the masses
Nissan has committed to bolster its EV line-up
heavily over the coming years and its e-Power
technology, which has helped to make the
Nissan Note Japan’s best-selling registered car,
is set to enter European markets during the
course of 2020.
At that time, sales of electrifi ed Nissan
vehicles will increase fi ve-fold, and by the end
of the year will be double the market average.
As a result, Fukuda claims the company is
3. One of two new EV
concepts revealed,
Nissan is to increase
its electrifi ed line-up
fi ve-fold by 2021
4. Nissan is focusing
efforts on making battery
technology as cheap and
accessible as possible
3
4
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