Nismo demo at Le Mans

Nissan's performance outfit turns its talents to the electric LEAF, and has something special to show at this year's 24 Heures du Mans

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One of our favourite displays at this year's New York International Auto Show was the Nismo RC -- for Racing Competition -- electric vehicle. Looking like an angry frill-necked LEAF, Nissan's plug-in hatchback has been turned from city-friendly green car to an eco-warrior for the track.

Sitting atop the LEAF's battery cell-laden platform is a carbon-fibre monocoque tub and the race LEAF also features sports prototype-like removable front and rear cowls to access cooling apparatus, plus carbon-fibre body panels, full roll cage and a tweaked version of the regenerative brake system, with adjustable balance. Most of the production model's amenities have been removed to bring weight under a tonne.

The LEAF RC uses rear-wheel drive versus the production version's front-drive set-up. It also sits much lower, with just 61mm ground clearance, and uses double wishbone suspension front and rear. The battery pack, 80kW/280Nm electric motor and inverter are mounted mid-ship; contributing to the car's exotic front-to-rear balance of 40:60. Top speed is just under 150km/h and Nismo claims a sprint from 0-100km/h takes 6.85sec.

An adjustable rear wing and spoilers are designed to make the most of the original LEAF designers' efficiency gains in aerodynamics. The production version is relatively slick at 0.28Cd, however Nissan hasn't yet released figures on coefficient of drag for the RC LEAF.

Meanwhile the LEAF Nismo RC will "serve as a rolling laboratory for the accelerated development of EV and aerodynamic systems". Nissan executives are also committed to the promotion of a "green motorsport" series.

As we reported yesterday, the LEAF Nismo RC will make its debut at Le Mans next weekend, the 24 hour endurance race event being an appropriate arena to demonstrate the car's race pace. Organisers of the great race, the ACO, 'suggested' years ago competing manufacturers should exploit more efficient racing options, hence the diesel-powered entries from Audi and Peugeot of recent seasons.

At this stage Nismo engineers predict the RC LEAF can manage 20 minutes of track time, in race conditions. The Nismo RC LEAF will make two demonstration runs this weekend as part of the Le Mans 'Vers Le Futur' support event group, including the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, Peugeot RCZ Hybrid and Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen.

Visit lemans.org for this year's schedule.

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