Infiniti LE Concept Breaks Cover In New York

I've wondered for a long time why it is manufacturers tend to make electric vehicles and hybrids so unattractive. Cars like the Nissan Leaf the Toyota Prius are boring and boxy looking. Thankfully, some companies are starting to come out with hybrids and EVs that are green and good-looking. One of the latest vehicles that falls into the green and attractive range is the Infiniti LE concept that surfaced this week at the New York Auto Show.

The LE is based on that rather plain looking Nissan Leaf EV and will be Nissan Motor Company's first luxury EV to hit the market. The car is very attractive with nice curves and reminds me of something that might come from Fisker. The car gets power from a 100 kW synchronous electronic motor with 134 hp and 240 pound-feet of torque.

That is a healthy gain over the Leaf that has an electric motor with 110 hp and 210 pound-feet of torque. The Infiniti LE uses the same 24 kWh battery pack, the same single speed transmission, and the same McPherson strut and torsion beam rear end that the Leaf hides underneath its homelier body. Infiniti LE concept is estimated to have a 100-mile driving range on a full charge. The interior is much swankier than that of the Leaf as well with the new infotainment system powered by the Intel Atom processor that I mentioned earlier. The production version of this vehicle is expected in about two years at an undisclosed price. With the Nissan Leaf carrying an MSRP of about $35,000, I would wager the Infiniti LE MSRP would be around $40,000-$45,000.

[via Wired]