Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

Here is Infiniti’s take on a zero-emissions luxury car (read: electric vehicle). It is called the Infiniti LE Concept and it was recently unveiled to the world at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. And it looks simply out of this world. No really, take a look at the car and you’d agree with me that it could fit right into one of Isaac Asimov’s novels.

The thing is, this car could be reality because Infiniti says that a near-similar form could be inside showroom within the next two years. And when it does make it into the showrooms, the LE Concept will be Infiniti’s first production zero emission luxury car.

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

But the design is not merely for flashiness; a number of the features you see help bring the coefficient drag to 0.25, which also increases driving range. These features include the aluminium-alloy wheels with aero treatment, the high rear deck, rear aero diffuser and aero side fin spoilers with illumination. The deep-skirted front fascia also integrates an aero fin spoiler with illumination.

It is also quite dramatic on the inside, especially with the double-wave design that is illuminated with soft blue lighting punctuated only by the centre console. The centre console adds a touch of EV-ness though the use of a ‘Hamon’ (ripple) design. The design of the seats and door trim are inspired by the ‘Eriashi’ (collar) of a Japanese kimono.

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

The centre cluster features a twin display powered by an Intel Atom processor that will give the driver information such as real time charger availability, expands the charging network when physical stations are added, information from cloud based data and a dynamic range calculator.

What about the space inside? Well, the LE Concept places the batteries under the passenger compartment floor, which maximises room for passengers and in the trunk. It also lowers the centre of gravity.

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

The LE Concept draws power from a 24 kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery with a ChaDeMo DC50 kW quick charger. The e-powertrain can generate a torque of 325 Nm immediately.

Independent struts and rear torsion beams suspension with double-piston shock absorbers and the high body stiffness (with rigid-mounted battery frame) gives a comfortable ride. The low centre of gravity and concentration of weight to the centre of the vehicle enhances its handling.

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

There will be three ways you can charge the LE Concept; by way of the integrated charging port, a DC Fast Charge and a Wireless Charging System.

The non-contact charging is possible via inductive energy flow with a coil encased on the garage floor. Here is how it will work: The primary coil in the garage is connected to the energy source to create a magnetic field that will excite the electric current in a second coil located in the LE Concept. The charging can be controlled via the twin display or a smartphone. Infiniti says that the system installs easily and will not zap for children and pets.

Infiniti LE Concept – the first electric vehicle for Infiniti

But there’s more. For the system it work, the coils need to be properly aligned. Which is why the LE Concept will feature an Intelligent Park Assist with Around View Monitor to get the job done easier. The system employs e-steering with full forward and backward capability along with a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. It also marks the spot with the GPS so that it will automatically switch to Around View Monitor and gets the system ready to park the car.

As mentioned earlier, the real deal will arrive within the next two years. I wonder how many features will remain in the production car.

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Chris Ng

Chris Ng believes that all cars are made equal, and each one has its own unique story to tell. As such, the ex-advertising man is here doing what he truly loves, which is authoring the allegories and anecdotes of automobiles. Having served time in a motoring mag, he believes there's nothing more sublime than keeping the pedal floored and things burbling in top gear.

 

Comments

  • Kia Optima?

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    • Lim Kopi on Apr 11, 2012 at 3:44 pm

      Yeah …. they should STOP doing the kind of Fluid Design like what Koreans are doing ….

      Just makes me sick …

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  • Whynot! on Apr 10, 2012 at 9:43 pm

    Talking about fluidity of the Avante design! Someone is following and I bet most of the futuristic design will look something or somewhat like this. No more square, triangle, rectangle or round shape of the oldies anymore, if you want to compete with the future. Because the future are of curves of endless possibility. So not straight line please for P1 in the future or I will name you Kamikaze!

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  • This car curi design idea from Sonata ya..

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  • korea already leads the market!!!!

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  • Mr Hukaka on Apr 10, 2012 at 10:37 pm

    don’t steal sonata design.

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    • the korean(let’s say sonata) stole the mercedes cls……..pls make things clear

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      • toyoda on Apr 11, 2012 at 9:55 am

        korean stole a cls ? faster report police la.. u saw it right ? no ?

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      • Kimchi on Apr 11, 2012 at 9:44 pm

        I think you should check, the sonata design was out even before cls who copy who then ?

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    • Wallstreet on Apr 11, 2012 at 10:52 am

      The reason why ppl say cars stole ideas from the Koreans is because the Korean are the one who go round stealing ideas everywhere. So,when a new revolution car is out with a hint of their previous generation design which was copied by the Koreans, they will say ahhh… copy the Korean car. It’s not surprise that when the new Mercedes CLS out, they will say CLS copy the Sonata…lol.

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  • It really looks like a Facelifted Hyundai Sonata! such a shame!

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  • Like Hyundai Sonata YF design. :)

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  • Most awesome thing Ive seen this year

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    • toyoda on Apr 11, 2012 at 9:53 am

      most awesome thing should be the new camry la. staggering 4 speed auto and whopping 160k.

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  • Me Again on Apr 10, 2012 at 11:17 pm

    i think the rear looks alot like the curent sylphy….

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    • toyoda on Apr 11, 2012 at 9:51 am

      pls, sylphy can only be compared to other uncle-ish car like camry, accord and diuna(teana)

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  • melvin on Apr 10, 2012 at 11:37 pm

    i Dunno, At Side look like Hyundai Elantra….

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  • melvin on Apr 10, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    At Side Looks Like Hyundai Elantra…. :D

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  • looks like mash mellow on fire, whole thing melted.

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  • ezracopters on Apr 11, 2012 at 12:09 am

    really.. look really Hyundai’ish & a pinch of Lexus nose.. probably gonna be lame on the eyes 5 years from now, whilst simple design such as Jetta might last longer than we though..

    on the other note, can somebody explain this :

    a.” bring the coefficient drag to 0.25 “, what is Coefficient Drag, how do they measure it??

    b. what sort of engine/power/battery they’re gonna use, is it gonna be home-friendly charging (home plug & under 1 hour)..hopefully it can last 500-600km per recharge & sprint over 180/h. or i better rephrase the Q, are there any engine (technology) exist in a market yet?

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    • toyoda on Apr 11, 2012 at 10:02 am

      a. co-efficient – the lower is better. lower means lower drag more aerodynamic. they use wind tunnel to measure this.

      b. electric powered currently at most runs up to 100-200km, then need to recharge…

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  • ungly front and too much lines flowing around the body like sonata, makes it less awesome btw..

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  • pencuci tandas on Apr 11, 2012 at 10:35 am

    after this..if your car hit something and got some kemek at the body…just tell your friend its fluidity..not a kemek…

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  • OMG! They copied Fluidic Sculpture concept by Hyundai!
    What a shame! The design language really looks like Sonata, but however, this looks ugly, and this is what we call the real copycat & overdone.

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  • nice to view from the side and back, not great from the front

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  • affey on Apr 11, 2012 at 6:15 pm

    Hyundai……

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  • alamak on Apr 11, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    on my mark……Copy!!
    you copy me,i copy them, let copy together, design language very subjective, but….this time i admit the look too hyundai-ish

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  • Nania on Apr 11, 2012 at 6:54 pm

    so futuristic, better than hyundai.

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  • and again. bunch of designer wannabes here

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  • loveit on Apr 12, 2012 at 6:58 am

    it look like a very fat people sat inside and the car crumple down

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  • sonata’ish but the paint is damn beautiful

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  • Wise vote on Apr 12, 2012 at 11:21 am

    driving sonata nowadays feel proud. coz infinity also use its design.

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  • kah.kah.kah..now Japanese have run out of idea…

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  • kamaji on Apr 12, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    Can the Jap forget bout their ego & get some italia design house help.

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  • Does the wireless changing start sterilizing the drivers the minute they step into their garage ? Could this mean the start of extinctions of the gwei lohs in US and Europe, where it is normal to have garages, compared to say Japan ?

    So is this Japanese’s cunning plot to take over US and EU in 2-3 generations from now ?

    I say, brilliant ! :-D

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