An all-electric version of Nissan’s upcoming Qazana and a production version of the Nuvu electric supermini could go on sale early in the next decade, Autocar has learned.
Rumours from Japan, where this weekend Nissan will unveil its first battery-powered car for the global market, suggest that an EV version of the Qazana, a supermini-sized crossover, is in the pipeline for 2013. It could even be built alongside the regular Qazana in Sunderland.
A company source revealed Nissan is planning to build seven lithium ion battery production lines around the world, each with a capacity to build 50,000 batteries a year.
The C-segment hatchback being unveiled this weekend is expected to sell around 200,000 units a year from 2010, leaving plenty of spare capacity for other models.
“The production version of the Nuvu is a certainty, although packaging the battery pack in such a small car is proving challenging," said a Nissan source.
“After that, a Qazana EV might make a lot of sense for us, especially if the standard car is well received.”
The regular Qazana is due to make its debut at the Geneva motor show in March 2010, alongside the all-new Micra, which will be built in Chennai, India.
Matt Saunders
Twitter - follow autocar.co.ukSee all the latest Nissan reviews, news and video
Add your comment