Nissan Nuvu

The Nissan Nuvu is a compact all-electric city car concept that Nissan presented at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Its name, from the Japanese for new view, hints at a new look: a two-door hatchback with no tailgate and 2+1 seating, two permanent seats and one folding seat, painted in a gold called Soft Feel Sandy Gold. Solar panels shaped like tree leaves on the roof feed a tree-trunk-shaped central column that also stiffens the body. Steering and brakes are operated by servos using by-wire technology rather than a direct mechanical link. The electric motor sits at the rear and drives the rear axle, with lithium-ion batteries under the seats, a stated range of about 130 km and a top speed of about 120 km/h. No production model followed, but some of its technology reached the production Nissan Leaf.