Nissan Discloses Platform for Electric Vehicle

Jul 29, 2009 12:29 Tatsuhiko Hayashi, Nikkei Automotive Technology

Nissan Motor Co Ltd unveiled a platform for its electric vehicle scheduled to debut in the US and Japan in fiscal 2010 and an experimental vehicle based on it July 27, 2009.

The company newly designed the platform. Though some parts for the B-platform are used, they were redesigned to accommodate the shape of the batteries located under the floor.

A motor and an inverter are mounted on the front area of the platform, and a power train is placed on a parallel-cross shaped sub-frame. The rear area of the platform is equipped with the same torsion beam used for the Versa (Tiida).

As for its Li-ion secondary batteries, the platform is mounted with 48 laminate type battery modules, each of which consists of four cells (two series connections and one parallel connection). The output voltage of the module is about 7.2V. And the 48 modules are connected in series, realizing an average voltage of 345V and a capacity of 24kWh.

Twenty-four modules are aligned upright under the rear seats, and the other 24 modules are stacked flatly under the front seats and in front of the rear seats. The modules are fixed under the floor by using steel frames.

The motor is a permanent magnet type with an output of 80kW and a maximum torque of 280N·m. The travel distance per charge is 160km or more in LA4 mode, according to Nissan Motor.

The experimental vehicle consists of the new platform and the upper body of the Versa and is called "EV-11." In the past year, Nissan Motor disclosed the EV-02, which is based on an old model of the Cube. This means the EV-11 is nine generation newer. The company makes two or three experimental vehicles with different specifications in every year.

Though the EV-11 is based on the Versa, it is longer and wider than the Versa. Therefore, Nissan Motor augmented the front overhang and elongated the rear doors. In addition, the width of the vehicle was increased by changing the size of the fender.

The EV-11 is for four or five passengers including a driver with enough space in the rear seats created by using the new method of mounting the batteries.

Both the experimental vehicle and the platform have a charging inlet in the front area for the following two reasons. First, people in the US often do head-in parking. Second, when a charging inlet is located in the front part of a vehicle, it is more easy for the driver to know whether the vehicle is being charged.

When the EV-11 is being charged, an interlock is activated so that the vehicle does not start moving. But the company still considers that a charging inlet is more convenient when located on the front part of the vehicle.

To commercialize the vehicle, Nissan Motor will add a car navigation system and other devices that can enhance the usability of the electric vehicle. For example, the car navigation system will show the area that can be reached without recharging the battery and the locations of charging stations.

With a timer-controlled charging function, midnight power can be used to charge the vehicle. Furthermore, the company is considering capabilities to check charging status with a mobile phone, receive an email that notifies the completion of charging, turn on an air conditioner before getting in a car and so forth.

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