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Infiniti eco roadster planned

Infiniti is set to debut a zero-emission, mid-engined roadster at the Geneva show in March

Infiniti Essence

21st November 2011

Luxury brand Infiniti is dipping a toe into the water of the sports car class with a new zero-emission, mid-engined roadster.

The car is set to debut at March’s Geneva Motor Show, and could take styling cues from the Essence concept that was seen at Geneva in 2009. It’s expected to be the size of a Porsche Boxster and feature EV range-extending technology.

Batteries will power electric motors, while the engine will be used only to top them up. If the public reaction is good, Infiniti may hunt for a technical partner for the project. Likely candidates include Red Bull Racing and Mercedes.

Infiniti will be using Mercedes’ 2.1-litre diesels in its M executive car in 2013, while the BMW 3 Series-rivalling G will launch with the same engines later that year.

Also, an Audi A3-sized coupe/crossover, based on the Etherea concept from this year’s Geneva show, should arrive in 2014, sitting on the new Mercedes A and B-Class platform. This could be the brand’s first European-built car, too.

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4 Comments

Zero emission hybrid, good trick if you can do it

And I don't think you can. "Batteries will power electric motors, while the engine will be used only to top them up." which implies it will have emissions why the range extending engine is running. So it might be able to run in zero emission mode for a bit, but it's a range extending hybrid.

By aje21 on 21 November, 2011, 4:09pm

Like the idea of an Infiniti roadster

Dont like the idea of an eco friendly zero emissions one.

By cousins11 on 22 November, 2011, 1:37pm

Nice, but it won't be zero emissions when the engine is charging the batteries, which it will probably have to do regularly.

By biggsy24 on 24 November, 2011, 7:32am

More Falsehoods

It is good to see that readers are not duped by the unsupportable zero emission claim. Of course there will be CO2 produced when the engine runs. EV and hybrid producers seem to be endemically misleading with their product claims.

By mikeo on 24 November, 2011, 12:13pm

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