The robotic' electric car that tilts

Nissan may be just about to start building the LEAF, the world’s first mass-produced electric car, but the company is already planning the vehicle’s successor; a two-seat city car that tilts like a motorcycle and uses a ‘car robotics-style’ crash avoidance system that directs the vehicle’s path away from obstacles.

The Land Glider uses a development of the LEAF’s advanced lithium ion battery system to give a range of around 100km a distance that is more than adequate for a city car used for shopping and commuting.

One in two drivers will be city dwellers

With more than 50% of the world’s population expect to live in large cities in the near future, Nissan gave itself a brief to design a compact, four-wheeled vehicle that was fun to drive.

The result is a 3-metres long by 1.3-metres wide vehicle the company describes as a ‘personal city commuter.’

The crash-avoidance system is not the only cutting-edge technology promised by the Land Glider. The mechanical connection between the steering column and the wheels is replaced by a fly-by-wire system, which is common in aircraft but has not yet been used in a production car.

The car also features a ‘non-contact charging system’ that allows the vehicle to be charged wirelessly where the infrastructure exists.