Nissan's Hyperminis in UC Davis Research; Project Focused on Marketability of Electric 'City Cars'

DAVIS, Calif., Nov. 7 -- Nissan is beginning a new chapter today in its marketability studies of non-polluting electric vehicles as 15 small Nissan Hypermini vehicles go into service in a research program at the University of California, Davis.

Nissan wants to get a clear understanding of consumer reactions to the small, brightly colored two-seat Hyperminis as they are used on the streets of Davis. UC Davis researchers will be collecting a wide variety of data as university employees drive the cars around campus during the next 12 months.

"Getting solid, real-world data on how these unique vehicles are used is critical to our process of determining just what kind of electric vehicles are suitable for American consumers," said Shigeo Ishida, president of Nissan Technical Center North America.

In addition to donating the vehicles for the study, Nissan is providing most of the funding for the research led by the UC Davis team of Ken Kurani, a research engineer at the university's Institute of Transportation Studies, and Tom Turrentine, an ITS-Davis research anthropologist.

"Nissan is providing us a valuable opportunity," Kurani said. "Assessing the marketability of electric-drive vehicles is one of the Institute's primary missions. 'City cars' like the Hypermini represent a new idea for most Americans.

"Starting with the question of whether such vehicles provide practical transportation," he added, "we will explore market segments based on cost, convenience technology, environmental value and any surprising new segments our respondents reveal."

The Hypermini drivers will keep logs of their reactions to various vehicle attributes including size, range, comfort and charging. The drivers also will note reactions of the citizens of Davis to the presence of the vehicles. In addition, city residents will be surveyed and participate in focus groups.

The Hyperminis are sure to attract attention. The tiny cars are 8.3 feet long and 5 feet tall. The "city cars" have little cargo room, but can be parked easily. Since batteries are stored under the vehicle's floorboard, the Hypermini has a low center of gravity.

Some key features of the Nissan Hypermini are: -- 24kW permanent magnet synchronous traction motor -- Lightweight lithium-ion battery with manganese electrode, offering high energy and power densities in a compact unit -- Recharges in up to four hours using a 200-volt AC inductive charger -- Real-world driving range of 30-35 miles. -- Top speed of 62 mph

Nissan is involved in three car-sharing programs using Hyperminis in Japan. About 120 Hyperminis have been sold to support these programs in the cities of Kyoto, Ebina and Yokohama. City officials and private citizens are using the vehicles.

Since 1998, Nissan has been offering the Nissan Altra EV in California. The Altra EV is a van capable of seating four adults comfortably and carrying up to 220 pounds of cargo -- a vastly different car than the Hypermini.

"It is important for us to understand driver and consumer reactions to large and small EVs," Ishida said. "What we are learning through Altra EV use and what we plan to learn through the UC Davis Hypermini program are very important in our understanding of what consumers think of electric-powered vehicles."

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissandriven.com and http://www.infiniti.com .

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