New electric Nissan IMk concept revealed at Tokyo Motor Show
Sitting on a bespoke platform, new electric city car signals Nissan compact EV push
Nissan has revealed a new concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show, intended as a preview of the brand’s next design language and a signal that Nissan hasn’t given up on the city car segment just yet.
Called the IMk concept, it’s a boxy, five-door, all-electric A-segment kei car. Measuring just 3,434mm long, 1,512mm wide and 1,644mm tall, it’s underpinned by a brand new platform created specifically for electric vehicles, and it suggests that Nissan could be lining up a rival for the upcoming Honda e and the next-generation, all-electric Fiat 500.
Nissan says that the look and proportions of the vehicle draw on what will become the brand’s next design philosophy. Described as “timeless Japanese futurism,” the look is characterised by a new, simplistic approach with smooth surfacing and flowing lines, but contemporary Nissan design is seen in the use of the brand’s ‘V-motion’ signature front end.
Nissan design director Satoru Tai says the “luxury small EV” interior features bench-style seating with bright white, dimpled upholstery, intended to give the impression of sitting on a cloud. Copper accents the same colour as the exterior run through the cabin, and elsewhere wooden slats are used on the lower sections of the doors, while the carpet is a dark coffee colour too.
The dashboard is paired back and features no physical controls aside from the steering wheel. Everything is displayed on a central touchscreen infotainment unit, while the IMk features what Nissan calls ‘Invisible-to-Visible’ technology, mating external sensors with cloud-computing to anticipate what could happen on the road ahead or around the corner.
While unconfirmed, the IMk’s bespoke platform looks set to underpin future production models, but technical specifications have not been revealed. Nissan has only confirmed the existence of the platform for now.
Nissan has confirmed that the IMk features the brand’s latest ProPilot driver assistance technology though, with an advanced version of the ProPilot 2.0 system fitted on current Nissan models. The brand says that the updated ProPilot is now capable of remote parking and hands-off driving in a single lane on the motorway.
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