NISSAN has unveiled its Denki Cube concept car, which the company says packages its latest electric vehicle technology in the boxy dimensions of the Cube city car.

Jul 24 2008 Steve Hughes

NISSAN has unveiled its Denki Cube concept car, which the company says packages its latest electric vehicle technology in the boxy dimensions of the Cube city car.

As one of the company’s most popular products, the Nissan Cube has become a familiar sight on Japanese roads where it is regarded as something of an unusual design icon.

Now visitors to the British Motor Show can see the development of the production model that has been created to showcase Nissan’s endeavours in electric-powered vehicles.

The Denki Cube is powered by the latest EV (electric vehicle) technology, which is likely to be seen in a Nissan production vehicle within a couple of years.

At the front a distinctive metallic-finish grille features a series of Harry Potter-style lightning bolt cut-outs and the AC power charging port. An equally distinctive headlamp design incorporates an array of LEDs and a main light with an electric discharge effect.

At the rear the taillights are hidden behind a series of holes punched into the bumper in the style of the five dots on a dice, which is a design motif used throughout the boxy vehicle.

A special white pearlescent paint job and graphics plus 16-inch wheel covers with a square-shaped inset provide the finishing touches.

The Japanese Cube’s standard 1.3-litre petrol engine is replaced by an electric motor and the latest lithium-ion batteries which are located under the floor and seats.

The Denki Cube is part of a wider initiative by Nissan to move towards zero-emission motoring.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has already announced it will mass-market electric vehicles and is due to start with Israel and Denmark from 2011.