Electric shock: Large segment EV for Infiniti
Infiniti will introduce Ford Falcon-size electric vehicle, but will we see it in Australia?The New York Auto Show next month will see the worldwide debut of a new large electric vehicle from Infiniti, according to Andy Palmer, Nissan's Executive VP for global planning and communications.
According to Palmer the new vehicle will be a "three-box" sedan with modified underpinnings courtesy of the Nissan LEAF, "with some improvements in range and power". The new Infiniti will be a "D segment" vehicle, meaning a vehicle roughly equivalent to Commodore or Falcon in size or possibly larger.
If it were introduced to the Australian market it would be larger than any other current or prospective electric vehicle, but will it come here?
"It depends on, frankly speaking, your government," Palmer replied.
The Nissan exec clearly believes there's a strong business case in Australia for electric vehicles generally, but Nissan is looking for more pro-active support from the government.
"It's an obvious place for an electric car," said Palmer, explaining that we have a relative preponderance of powered garages combined with a highly urbanised society that travels less than 30km a day on average. However, Australia is behind other parts of the world in the way we generate our power.
"One of the challenges for Australia is the carbon source for electricity," he cautioned.
But Palmer argues that even with our coal-fired power generation electric vehicles are still preferable, on balance, to traditional internal combustion vehicles.
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