Electric vehicle ranges will be quoted based on multiple scenarios instead of the single figures used by manufacturers today, according to sources at Nissan.
A Nissan insider close to the firm's Leaf EV project told Autocar that a single distance figure could be misleading. And he predicted that all major manufacturers will begin to display a series of best and worst-case scenario figures for their EVs, much like urban and extra-urban fuel consumption figures for combustion engines.
The influx of electric mainstream cars such as the Volkswagen Golf, due for production by the end of 2013, has also persuaded Nissan to deliberately make its electric models instantly recognisable as EVs.
“People know what they’re getting,” our Nissan source said. The hope is that the company’s more established electric vehicle platforms and styling will reflect well in sales figures as the market for full EVs expands.
Nissan’s electric Leaf will go on sale in March 2011, beating its VW Golf rival to showrooms by up to two years.
