The Nissan Pivo

10:37 - Wednesday 4 July 2007 by Rónán Smyth
Source: Tom's Hardware – Keywords: top, 5, geek, cars, of, tomorrow

The Nissan Pivo

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Ford's futuristic new design may never see commercial release; it is ultimately Ford's decision. Regardless the outcome, this type of out of the box thinking from Ford could possibly wield the key to future design innovations, and lead to an explosion of new age cars.

The Pivo is an exciting new concept car from Nissan specifically designed for urban driving and packed with technology. This remarkable little car was first announced in late 2005 but remains relatively unknown to the general public. This car is specifically designed for Eco-friendly urban driving and displays the best of Japanese technological ingenuity.

The Pivo is powered by two compact lithium ion batteries located under the body of the car and therefore boasts zero emissions and is 100% environmentally friendly. As the engine is powered by a lithium ion battery the top speed and acceleration of the car are quite low. The maximum speed obtained from the batteries is 100 km/hr, or roughly 60mph, which is adequate for city driving.

This city driving aspect is complimented by another design feature: its four-wheel turning system. In effect the compact car turns similarly to a forklift, giving it excellent maneuverability and control. Nissan have designed this car for urban driving, so most of the car's features are relevant to this task.

All occupants of the car (driver and two passengers) are seated in a unique rotating cabin which eliminates reverse parking. This is all made possible by a concept called 'drive by wire'. The drive by wire function means there is no need for mechanical or hydraulic linkages. The cars electric motors are given energy via cable and thus there's no need for a drive shaft. Also, the cars functions, such as brakes, steering and throttle, are controlled by receiving a wireless signal from the cars central computer.


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