Nissan unveils futuristic electric sports car BladeGlider

Nissan has unveiled a working prototype of its futuristic electric sports car BladeGlider, almost three years after it showcased the vehicle in concept form.

The company showed a functioning version of the zero-emission, three-seater vehicle was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The high-performance car has a top speed of 115mph and can accelerate to 62 mph in less than five seconds.

Powered by two electric motors - one for each rear wheel - the vehicle's design features helped optimise the aerodynamic efficiency of the car. These include the car's narrow front and wider rear, as also rear-view cameras rather than door-mounted mirrors.

Carlos Ghosn, chief executive officer of Nissan, said BladeGliderwas the electric vehicle for car-lovers. "These prototypes epitomise Nissan's drive to expand its Intelligent Mobility strategy, where driving pleasure combines with environmental responsibility," he said in a statement.

"Nissan believes that enthusiasts should look forward to a zero emission future and BladeGlider is a perfect demonstration of that."

The concept form of the car was first revealed by Nissan at a Tokyo motor show, when it said it would try to put a version into production by 2016.

Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan said in a press statement, ''Nissan believes that enthusiasts should look forward to a zero emission future and Nissan BladeGlider is a perfect demonstration of that. It's the electric vehicle for car lovers.

Yesterday the Japanese carmaker also revealed the first prototype of its bioethanol electric car, which it had announced in June.

The vehicle converts the bioethanol fuel to hydrogen, which then reacts with oxygen inside the Solid Oxide Fuel-Cell (SOFC) to produce electricity.

Ghosn said the e-Bio Fuel-Cell offered eco-friendly transportation and created opportunities for regional energy production, all the while supporting the existing infrastructure.

He added that the technology would become more user-friendly in the future since ethanol-blended water was easier and safer to handle than most other fuels.