Nissan Bladeglider concept revealed ahead of Tokyo show

The Nissan Bladeglider concept has been revealed ahead of its full public debut at the Tokyo motor show at the end of November.

The three-seat electric concept car is powered by the same battery technology found in Nissan's Leaf, but the Bladeglider's motors are mounted in the rear wheels. These motors are powered independently and free up space elsewhere in the car.

The styling of the Bladeglider is clearly influenced by the Deltawing racing car that Nissan took to the Le Mans 24hr race in 2013, and is designed to be highly aerodynamic. It has a 1m-wide track at the front, and widens out at the rear to improve stability and aerodynamics. Its weight is distributed 30/70 in favour of the rear of the car, and downforce is created by the carbonfibre underbody, which removes the need for spoilers or wings.

Inside, the three passengers sit in a triangular formation, with the driver at the front in the centre. The driver's seat also slides to the side when the door is opened, in order to allow easier access to the rear seats.

Nissan has said that the Bladeglider is more than just a fantastical concept, describing it as a proposal for the future of Nissan's electric vehicles, and an 'exploratory prototype of an upcoming production vehicle.'

One possible future car Nissan is considering is a modern take on the 200 SX. Nissan's design boss Shiro Nakamura told What Car?: 'The car I'd like to do is a new 200 SX - we need a a small sports coupe to make a family of cars – the GT-R, 370 Z and a smaller one. It could be a sporty coupe but it could also be a roadster.'