When Nissan showed its Leaf NISMO RC concept at the 2011 New York auto show, we scratched our heads as we gazed upon the full-blown electric race car. The RC was a seriously built machine, complete with a carbon-fiber body, shortened wheelbase, double-wishbone suspension, and more.
Just about every press conference at this year’s Tokyo auto show began with a mention of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan last March. While no one can predict such disasters, lessons learned from the events have resulted in some interesting technological propositions. At Nissan, engineers are looking at the Leaf from a new angle, seeing it not only as a provider of transportation, but as device for storing electricity
Two years ago at the Tokyo auto show, Honda let us try its U3-X personal-mobility concept . This year, I had a chance to ride the latest evolution in this design, now called the Uni-Cub, at a pre-show press event held at the Twin Ring Motegi racetrack. The basic concept of the Uni-Cub is the same as the U3-X’s: A series of small wheels arranged to form a larger wheel.