Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Nissan unveils its next-gen technology, including a virtual reality passenger

By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nissan used the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show to unveil a smorgasbord of next-generation technology, with some items closer to production than others. The Japanese automaker revealed an electric all-wheel drive system, and is continuing work on tech that will allow drivers to chat with in-car virtual avatars.

The all-wheel drive system uses one electric motor to power each axle, similar to the setup used by Tesla and other automakers. Demonstrated in a modified Nissan Leaf Plus, the two electric motors produce a combined 304 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque, compared to 214 hp and 250 lb-ft for the stock, front-wheel drive Leaf Plus. That extra power can also be precisely controlled, according to Nissan. The all-wheel drive system can change the split of power front to rear, and even side to side. It can also work with the car’s brakes to smooth out deceleration, avoiding strain on occupants’ necks, according to Nissan.

Recommended Videos

The prototype used the same 62-kilowatt-hour battery pack as the Leaf Plus, but a larger battery pack could allow more power, Toshiyuki Nakajima, the all-wheel drive system’s chief engineer, said in an interview with Automotive News.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Nissan does plan to put the all-wheel drive system into production, but it will have different specifications than the prototype, Nakajima said. Automotive News reports that electric all-wheel drive will debut on a production Nissan crossover in 2020, and will reach the United States by 2021.

Further out, Nissan may also use solid-state batteries in its electric cars. These batteries are quickly becoming the holy grail for automakers. Proponents claim solid-state batteries can hold a greater amount of energy for a given volume than today’s lithium-ion batteries. Their solid electrolyte (hence the name “solid-state”) is also made from a nonflammable material, unlike lithium-ion batteries. Toyota has expressed interest in solid-state batteries, and Fisker expects this battery tech to give electric cars 500-mile ranges.

Nissan is also continuing work on what it calls “invisible-to-visible (I2V)” tech. First revealed at CES 2019, it uses 5G connectivity to overlay information onto a car’s windshield, or allow drivers to summon virtual avatars. It could be used for everything from helping find a parking space to track day coaching, Nissan has told Digital Trends. But it’s unclear whether this tech will be commercially viable. Real-world tests began in Japan earlier this year, and Nissan doesn’t expect commercialization until 2025 at the earliest, according to Automotive News.

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
EV sales surge could continue as Trump delays ending federal rebates, report says
Second-Gen Rivian R1S on a road

A surge in sales of electric vehicles in the final months of last year could continue well into 2025, as consumers continue to take advantage of federal tax incentives while they last, according to a report by the Associated Press.
On the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Unleashing American Energy”, which says the government is “considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies.”
During his campaign, Trump’s team said it was planning to end the Biden administration’s $7,500 tax credit on the purchase or lease of an EV, although it did not provide a timeline for doing so.
Americans rushed to take advantage of the incentive, helping fuel a surge of more than 15% in EV sales in the fourth quarter, according to Cox Automotive.
Recent surveys show that incentives have played a major role in fueling EV sales over the past few years, and that a majority of Americans are in favor of government incentives to help with the purchase of an EV.
Meanwhile, the wording in Trump’s executive order, which says his administration is still 'considering' its options, leaves room for ambiguity about the timing of its application.
“Temporarily, sales of EVs could skyrocket as car-buyers rush to take advantage of existing tax credits,” the report by the Associated Press says.
In order to repeal the EV tax credit, the Trump administration will need to obtain the approval of congress. The process will likely take place as part of broader negotiations on extending Trump’s first-term tax cuts, which are due to expire near the end of 2025.
It’s also not entirely clear if the Trump administration will seek to end the whole of the $7,500 EV tax incentive. In order to obtain the incentive for the purchase of an EV, restrictions apply for high-income households and for EVs with non-U.S. made batteries. But those restrictions don’t apply to leasing an EV.
According to Cox Automotive, members of the Trump administration are particularly keen on ending “this leasing loophole, which was created partly to appease Korean and Japanese automakers, who have invested billions in U.S. EV manufacturing.”
Ending rebates and other subsidies for EVs is also likely to meet challenges, be they legal or political, from different actors.
The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a trade group whose members include the likes of Tesla, Waymo, Rivian, and Uber, has come out in support of incentives for both the production and the sale of EVs.
ZETA says the incentives for both EV and battery-makers have led to enormous investments and job gains in Republican-dominated states like Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Georgia.

Read more
Tesla Model Y Juniper vs Rivian R1S: Can Tesla’s newest take out a much more expensive vehicle?
Tesla Model Y 2025.

Tesla and Rivian actually have a lot in common. Both are relatively new companies in the grand scheme of things, at least compared to the legacy automakers that are now switching to EVs, but their actual vehicles are pretty different. The Tesla Model Y is the most popular electric vehicle in America, serving as a high-tech crossover for those interested in buying a Tesla. The Rivian R1S is Rivian's electric SUV, obviously boasting a larger body, but also putting tech first.

On top of the Tesla Model Y being the most popular EV right now, it's also in the midst of getting a major refresh in the form of the Model Y Juniper. We're still early on in the rollout of that refresh, though. While Tesla has released the Model Y Juniper in its base form in China, the version of the vehicle being sold in the US right now is the so-called Launch Edition New Model Y, which is a high-performance version of the Model Y Juniper that comes with a high price tag. For this comparison, we'll use the specs from the both the entry-level Model Y Juniper being sold in China, and the launch edition New Model Y being sold in the U.S. Keep in mind, however, that until the Model Y Juniper gets a wider U.S. release, only the previous-generation Model Y is being sold alongside the Launch Edition New Model Y

Read more
Tesla Model Y Juniper vs Kia EV9: Can the new Model Y beat a large SUV?
White Tesla Model Y Juniper at a Supercharger

America's most popular electric vehicle, the Tesla Model Y, is getting a major refresh. Tesla already launched the Tesla Model Y Juniper in China, but now it's bringing the vehicle to the US.

Of course, the new Model Y has to go up against a host of competitive electric vehicles, some of which are larger, some faster, and some even cheaper. The Kia EV9 has been hailed for being one of the few full-size electric SUVs that offers a high-quality driving experience without completely breaking the bank.

Read more