First Nissan gave us the gasoline-powered Cube, then there was the Cube3 and now the Japanese automaker has upped the ante by unveiling an all electric version at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. The Nissan Denki (which means “electric”) Cube concept has the styling of a couple of sugar cubes pasted together, but offer zero emissions motoring to compensate for the lackluster visual appeal.
Powered by lithium-ion battery pack the Nissan Denki Cube is kind of a dinky cube as it has one row less seating than the standard vehicle in order to accommodate the batteries. The Denki mini Cube is also a city car with a top speed of 45 mph.
Besides the unique AC power charging port, the most notable feature of the Denki is the replacement of the 4-cylinder, 1.3-liter engine of the standard model with electric motor and Li-ion batteries. The lithium-ion batteries were dually designed by Automotive Energy Supply Corporation and NEC Corporation in order to reduce size and enhance performance.
With funky grille and fun interior based on the concept of a “moving social hub” the Nissan Denki is sure to find a market, which may be a mashup between Scion fans and electric car buffs. While this sugar-cube-on-wheels may at first glance provoke a “what were they thinking” reaction, the benefits of an all-electric vehicle outweigh the personal visual appeal. Now, if we can just get California CARB not to kill it off, that will be the next trick.