Nissan’s Hyper Force brings fun to electric future
Nissan had a show-stopper electric GT-R concept called Hyper Force at the Tokyo Mobility Show. Japan’s carmakers want to tell the world the shift to EVs can be combined with driving fun.
Electric vehicles have shifted focus from efficiency to excitement at the Tokyo Mobility Show, with Mazda, Toyota, Subaru and Honda all unveiling visions of an electrified, and electrifying, performance-car future.
Undeniably the biggest show-stopper was a surprise unveiling on the Nissan stand, where the Japanese carmaker pulled the covers of an electric GT-R concept it calls the Hyper Force.
While the brand itself stopped short of calling the concept a green Godzilla (the nickname given to the R32 Nissan GT-R by Australian media in 1989, such was its performance dominance), there were hints aplenty that the icon’s future is electric.
The Nissan Hyper Force is an expression of our daring spirit aiming for the ultimate in performance
The concept’s rear lights, for example, have been taken straight from the current petrol-powered car, and even the driving modes are Grand Touring or Race (yes, GT or R).
And the four-seat performance EV would certainly be a worthy replacement, with 1000kW of electric power, e-4ORCE all-wheel drive and a laser-focus on weight reduction (through the extensive use of carbon), aerodynamics and massive downforce, giving the Hyper Force “enhanced cornering and exceptional handling on circuits and winding roads”.
And yes, we did say One Thousand Kilowatts.
“The Nissan Hyper Force is an expression of our daring spirit aiming for the ultimate in performance,” said Nissan president and CEO, Makoto Uchida.
“This car would be a perfect fit for those who love driving.”
But if you’re wedded to petrol power, worry not: the Hyper Force’s solid-state battery — a more dense battery technology billed as an EV game-changer because it delivers more range and requires less space — won’t near production until 2028, suggesting an all-electric GT-R won’t appear until the end of the decade.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a concept car without some frankly fanciful technology, and in the case of the Hyper Force it arrives through shiftable panels in the cabin that change the configuration to match your driving mood (think Transformer tech).
In GT mode, the cabin is bathed in blue, and the driver’s view looks much like it would in any other vehicle, but engage Race and the cabin glows red, before the dashboard closes in around you, creating a more focused, cockpit-style space.
The Hyper Force headlined an auto show in which the unofficial theme was electric performance, with Japan’s automakers keen to convince the world that the shift to EVs doesn’t have to mean a shift away from driving fun.
Mazda unveiled the Iconic SP concept, which could form the basis for a new and electrified RX-7, and uses two small rotary engines to power the battery, which in turn powers the electric motor.
Subaru debuted the Sport Mobility Concept, previewing an all-electric future for its BRZ, albeit one that also features tough, muscle-car styling, while Honda revealed the all-electric Prelude.
Finally Toyota, which — like Subaru and Honda — is yet to actually launch an electric vehicle in Australia, unveiled the FT-Se Electric Sports-Car Concept, which could trigger the long-awaited return of the brand’s MR2 nameplate.