Nissan’s Mixim Concept Car in detail

Electricity is the only source of energy the younger generation is prepared to consider. It’s clean, quiet and delivers no pollution when the car is being driven.

“The young identify with electricity… it’s what they use to power their computers and their iPods. Nissan is an EV company and strongly committed to developing EV technology,” says Bancon.

“For Mixim, electric power was the point of entry. No other power source was considered. In 2015 or 2020 you will be green or you won’t exist.”

At its heart, therefore, Mixim has one of the most efficient electric motors currently produced. Nissan’s Super Motor, first seen in the EFFIS concept shown at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, differs from conventional electric motors by being power source and generator in one compact package.

Super Motor features dual rotors inside and outside a single stator coil and, as a result, can output power through two shafts at the same time. By controlling the power output of each shaft separately, it is possible to drive right and left wheels independently.

Thanks to the use of compound current, Super Motor offers greater power density than conventional motors. As well as powering pure electric vehicles, Super Motor has application potential for petrol/electric hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

Central to the success of the Super Motor concept is the work being undertaken by a new company established as a joint venture between Nissan and the NEC Corporation. The Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) has been established to develop, manufacture and market lithium-ion batteries.

Research on Nissan’s high output lithium-ion cell began as long ago as 1992 and became a key element of Nissan’s X-TRAIL FCV prototype which was unveiled in 2003.

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