A Realistic Concept for Production

The "LE concept" presented by INFINITI at the Paris Salon is not merely a show car, but a proposal for an EV sedan intended for market launch.



While it was announced at the New York Motor Show in April, this is its first showing in Europe. With Renault's influence and substantial EV subsidies available in Paris, the choice of venue is understandable. The sedan body, boasting excellent aerodynamic performance with a Cd value of 0.25, is equipped with a powertrain based on the Nissan "Leaf" system.



Peak output is increased from the Leaf's 80kW (107ps) to 100kW (134ps). It features a 24kWh lithium-ion battery, offering a range of 160km. A distinctive feature is the absence of a charging plug, instead incorporating a contactless charging system.



This "LE concept" has been announced for production in 2014. While contactless charging is unlikely to be practical by then, given the current stagnation of the "Leaf" and the strong start of the "Tesla Model S" in America, the situation is complex. It will be interesting to see how EVs fare in this premium segment.



This was about the extent of INFINITI's new exhibits. However, a notable announcement was the joint development of a four-cylinder direct-injection turbo engine by Daimler, Renault, and Nissan, with Daimler and Renault taking the lead. Furthermore, Nissan has been granted permission to use a new transmission being developed under Daimler's direction. Specifically, JATCO's Mexico plant will produce transmissions based on this technology for use in Nissan and INFINITI models.



The collaborative development between these three companies is already well underway. For instance, the upcoming "INFINITI G," which is the Nissan "Skyline," is said to share many components, including the powertrain, withMercedes-Benzthe company. Surprisingly, Daimler appears to be the most proactive in this collaboration, which is quite interesting.




By significantly increasing joint development for internal combustion engines and allocating their own resources to EVs, the future direction for Nissan and INFINITI looks set to be quite intriguing.