Nissan has produced a bespoke single seater race car concept, exploring how the fully electric Nissan Ariya’s road car powertrain could be used in a racing car chassis.
The concept was presented at the Nissan Futures event and provides a teaser of what an electric performance style for Nissan could look like.
Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan’s global marketing manager for brand and engagement, said: “With this concept we want to showcase the high-performance potential of the Ariya’s powertrain in a motorsports-inspired package that not only hints at the design and styling of the road car that inspired it, but that also demonstrates a new and efficient EV performance language.”
Mr Hoyos added: “Acting as a testbed for future technological evolution, this project can help bring excitement from the road to the racetrack, and also demonstrates Nissan’s expertise in transferring knowledge and technology from the racetrack to the road.”
This race car concept is part of Nissan’s vision and roadmap it calls Nissan Ambition 2030.
In terms of its design language, Nissan’s senior vice president for global design, said that they are drawing inspiration from the “Japanese words shun, meaning to run fast and effortlessly, and sho, meaning to soar with power and grace.”
At the front of the race car is a signatory illuminated “V” motion and the side views of the car comes from the Ariya’s fluid and efficient surfaces.
Nissan also drew inspiration for the concept from the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship where it competes.
The Japanese automaker races in the all-electric world championship so that it can remain at the forefront of EV research and design, and so that it can showcase the fun and excitement of EVs to a global audience.
“Our EV programs inform our Formula E program and vice versa, allowing for road-to-track technology transfer as well as track-to-road,” says Tommaso Volpe, Nissan’s global motorsports director.