Nissan's Qazana concept crossover vehicle includes rear-hinged back doors and oversized tires.
(Credit: Nissan)Nissan unveiled its Qazana crossover vehicle at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday.
The concept was inspired by beach buggies, according to Nissan. With its oversized tires it does look like some sort of futuristic rally car.
The Qazana includes ultra-low rolling resistance tires made from nano technology materials by Kumho Tyres.
(Credit: Kumho Tyres)The ultra-low rolling resistance tires, which enable a car to get better gas mileage, were made from nano technology materials by Kumho Tyres, a U.K. company known for its eco-credentials.
An obvious younger sibling to the Qashqai SUV sold in Europe, the Qazana is a very compact hatchback at approximately 13 feet long and 6 feet wide. (For comparison, BMW's Mini is about 12 feet by 5.5 feet.)
Instead of being just a coupe as is often the case with compacts, the Qazana concept sports two rear-hinged half doors (aka suicide doors) for easier backseat access in addition to its front seat doors.
Automotive journalists have already jumped in with skepticism, saying that the funky doors will never make it to the street-legal version. They may be too hasty in their negativity.
Mazda successfully kept its suicide doors from the concept to the street version for the RX-8 as did Toyota with its FJ Cruiser.
The Greenster sports old-school style on the outside, but green-school tech on the inside.
(Credit: RUF Automobile)RUF Automobile and Siemens Corporate Technology, the research arm of Siemens, debuted their all electric car concept at the Geneva Motor Show this week.
The Greenster, like its name suggests, is designed to look like a roadster vehicle of yesteryear complete with plaid seats. But the tech speaks to the 2000's interest in green technology.
Siemens is providing technology for the car's power train which includes the motor/generator, the power electronics, and the interface with the car's battery.
The Greenster concept car displayed at the Geneva Motor Show had only one motor. But the Pfaffenhausen, Germany-based company said in a statement that the street version, which the company plans to start selling in 2010, will actually have a dual-motor system.
The electric vehicle will be able to recharge in less than an hour when plugged into a 400V outlet. The company made no mention of how long the car might take to recharge if the street version is made to plug into household outlets, which fall between 100 and 240 volts, depending on the country.
Greenster's interior includes the nice throwback touch of black, white, and tan plaid seats.
(Credit: RUF Automobile)
RUF's Greenster in partnership with Siemens.
(Credit: RUF Automobile)Mitsubishi and Peugeot Citroën made an announcement of a similar nature late Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show.
The two companies have signed an agreement to collaborate on an electric car based on Mitzubishi's i Miev that should become available in late 2010 or early 2011. The car will be manufactured by Mitsubishi, but sold under the Peugeot brand name, according to the agreement.
The i Miev, which will take about 7 hours to recharge at 200V outlets and 14 hours at 100V outlets, is being launched this summer in Japan, with testing and pilot projects underway in the U.S., Europe, and New Zealand, according to Mitsubishi.
Sketch of Mitsubishi's Prototype i Miev electric plug-in sports car.
(Credit: Mitsubishi)Mitsubishi released a more detailed sketch of its Prototype i Miev on Thursday.
The all-electric sports car concept is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show this March alongside the i Mieve Sport Air concept car.
Both are follow-ups to Mitsubishi's i Miev hatchback, which is currently undergoing "feasibility testing" in Europe. The hatchback, which is scheduled to go on sale in Japan sometime this year, can be plugged into any household outlet for recharging.
Though at 7 hours to recharge at 200V outlets and and 14 hours at 100V outlets, owners may opt for a higher-voltage option.
The i Miev hatchback all electric plug-in due out soon in Japan and possibly Europe.
(Credit: Mitsubishi)The i Miev can be charged up to 80 percent in 30 minutes with a quick charge system at a 200V, 50kW 3-phase outlet.
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