Infiniti LE Concept Car Photos 2013 - 2014 -2015

 

Ever since the first hybrid -- the spacey, two-seat Honda Insight -- arrived in the U.S., most green cars have featured love-it-or-hate-it styling. Some of that has been by design, with the goal of making them instantly recognizable as different from a normal, gas-powered car. Indeed, nothing says hybrid quite like the wedge shape of a Toyota Prius. Nissan has been seeking that same type of recognition in the all-electric arena with its Leaf.

But as green becomes more mainstream, that strategy is starting to change. Recently, several gas-powered cars, including the Ford Focus and Hyundai Sonata, were fitted with alternative powertrains, with more on the way. And automakers that are developing green halo cars are striving to produce designs that are recognizable but not as potentially off-putting. This issue is becoming increasingly important in the burgeoning "sustainable luxury" car segment. One only need look at the Fisker Karma or Tesla Model S to know that expressive, dynamic exterior designs and alternative power can coexist.

Nissan's Infiniti brand will be one of the first mainstream manufacturers to produce a unique, all-electric luxury car, the Infiniti LE, which was unveiled in concept form at the 2012 New York auto show. At the time, Infiniti said the LE concept previewed roughly 80-85 percent of what the final car will look like when it hits dealer showrooms in early 2014. Although it's based on the Nissan Leaf, even a well-trained eye would be hard-pressed to spot any similarities. More important for Infiniti, reaction to the LE's design has been overwhelmingly positive.

As a member of the Infiniti EV Insiders group assembled to receive early behind-the-scenes access as the Infiniti EV makes its way from concept to showroom, I recently got a look at the LE design process during a roundtable at the Nissan Design America studios in Southern California.

While they all had slightly different takes on what has been the most difficult hurdle to overcome, the assembled Infiniti designers and product planners agreed on one thing: the Infiniti LE Concept was a very challenging project. Early on, the team was completely open to what the final product would look like, and there was no directive from above saying it should be a sedan, hatchback, or even a crossover. But because the slate was clean and everybody had their own ideas about what kind of vehicle a luxury electric car should be, things got ugly at times.

"About two or three years ago there was a big fight between our engineering, product planning, and design teams over design versus performance -- this was our first big fight on the LE project," said Chikuya Takada, Infiniti's chief product specialist. "Eventually we made a series of sketches that reached consensus on a sedan design, and we were able to make a longer, wider, lower and heavier car than the Leaf, but keep the same range or better."

"Ultimately all of our market research indicated that a sedan is the car that most consumers want in a luxury EV," said Denise Barfuss, a senior manager for Infiniti marketing. "If you look at the market for green vehicles, nearly all of our competition has a hatchback because of the favorable aerodynamics and space in a compact footprint. Even our sister car, the Leaf, is a hatchback. But as a luxury marque, our choice of a sedan platform was more purposeful."

With the sedan choice set, the team also discussed whether the Infiniti EV should be based on an existing model -- much like the M Hybrid is based on the Infiniti M platform -- or whether it would be its own standalone model. Ultimately, the team decided to go with a unique platform because it was breaking new ground for them. But they did set limits for themselves.

"We didn't want to make the LE too unique," said Hirohisa Ono, a Nissan/Infiniti design manager. "It's an Infiniti first and an EV second. A car like the Leaf is an EV first. Although the LE doesn't look like any other Infiniti, it still maintains our DNA with the emotive lines, the crescent cut on the C-pillar, the 'bird of prey' headlights, and its distinctive grille."

"Because it has an advanced drivetrain placed inside a luxury vehicle, we wanted a car that looked modern and timeless at the same time," added Takada. "It sounds impossible, but I think our designers accomplished it."