Nice thing: Nissan Blade Glider: Japanese air number

When talking about electric cars, coverage is usually a central issue. For example, in a recent survey by energy company E.on, more than forty percent of respondents wanted electric cars that could travel more than 450 kilometers. Logically, that the automakers struggle for every kilometer of additional range. The flip side of this range fixation: Many e-cars become heavyweights. The bigger the battery, the heavier it is.

In November 2013, Nissan wanted to prove with a concept car that it could be done differently. At the then Tokyo Motor Show, the Japanese company presented the study Blade Glider - an aerodynamic designed electric sports car with an exotic look.

"Our goal was to transform vehicle architecture from scratch," said Francois Bancon, Nissan's then chief strategist, in presenting the Blade-Glider concept. And in the case of the Japanese electric racer, in fact, there was little that was expected, because the aerodynamics of the blade glider dictated everything: the lower the air resistance the car strikes, the farther the blade glider can go with one charge drive.

Technology transfer from motorsport

This is how the sensational shape of the vehicle came about, a kind of high-tech hand-ax. The concept car was much narrower at the front than at the back. Seen from above, this resulted in the shape of an arrowhead. Even under the car, the air flow was given great importance: a special subfloor made of carbon fiber composite material was supposed to produce a great deal of downforce.

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Nissan used the know-how of motorsport in the construction of the Blade-Glider. Already a year before the presentation of the Blade Glider vehicle concept Nissan had - except competition - at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the race car prototype "Delta Wing" participated. The car had, just like the Blade Glider, a much narrower front track than the rear. In addition, the weight of the Le Mans racer was relocated to about 70 percent to the rear axle - a technical trick, which also put the designers in the construction of the Blade Glider set, so as to allow a better corner handling. The Blade Glider also showed that the transfer of technology from racing to the road can at least theoretically be possible.

The drive Blade Glider two wheel hub motors were installed on the rear wheels. The power storage, a lithium-ion battery, was also placed as far as possible in the rear. However, he did not come from racing, but from Nissan's electric compact car Leaf.

"Closely connected to the freedom of a glider pilot"

At Nissan, the concept car was described as "closely linked to the quiet freedom of a glider". This affected both the outer and the inner design. There, in the interior, the instrumentation and steering wheel design gave the impression of being at a dizzy height in the cockpit of an airplane. Three people could take a seat in the concept car. The two passenger seats were each arranged obliquely offset behind the centrally positioned driver. This layout also allowed tall people in the second row to stretch their legs. The entrance was made by gullwing doors. The glass dome roof allowed the vehicle occupants a 360-degree all-round view.

Shortly after the premiere of the study, Nissan made it clear in November 2013 that the concept car would point to a future production model. To date, however, lacks any trace of this alleged serial model on the roads.

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Jürgen Pander
Unique !: The most bizarre concept cars

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In racing, however, only a year later with the Nissan ZEOD RC a technology-related vehicle rolled - also in an arrow shape - on the slopes. The Blade-Glider returned in 2016 as part of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games - as a revised, fully functional prototype. Two copies swung back and forth between the sports facilities. Nissan received support in the drive technology from the English company Williams Advanced Engineering. The two prototypes are currently also stored at Williams - or they are on tour and are shown at exhibitions.

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