Nissan has unveiled some teaser images and initial information about its new Esflow concept electric sports car, which is set to make its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3rd.

The new Esflow is just a concept at this point, although Nissan reportedly has plans to design some version of the vehicle. Using the same technology as the brand's heavily-hyped Leaf, the Esflow takes the philosophy behind the subcompact and applies it to a high-end sports car. The new model would reportedly be able to go from zero to 60 in under 5 seconds while traveling approximately 150 miles on a single charge.

As with any sports car, however, performance is only half the battle. They need to look good, too. Nissan has apparently nailed that concept, as the Esflow looks somewhat like a cross between its 370z coupe and the new Juke SUV. The shape and size borrow from the popular 370z, while the Juke supplies the sharp edges and lines on the front of the vehicle. It's all topped off with two electric-blue lights that make the car appear as if it just warped in from a futuristic sci-fi movie.

Drivers interested in a used Nissan or any other vehicle may want to head down to New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a variety of models at prices well below their Kelley Blue Book values.
 

The new Infiniti M35h hybrid will receive a new warning system that will alert pedestrians to its approach, as some safety officials have expressed concern over their virtually silent electric motors.

Although not mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nissan has elected to put a noisemaking system on the new M35h in order to keep pedestrians safe in city settings. The automaker originally developed the Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians (VSP) system for use in the all-electric Nissan Leaf.

The VSP system will work between 0 and 20 miles per hour and automatically detect when a pedestrian enters the car's path, emitting a distinctive noise. The sound cuts out once the driver brakes to under 15 miles per hour.

The Detroit Free Press notes that the new feature is as much a marketing opportunity for Infiniti and Nissan as it is a safeguard against pedestrian accidents. The new model was recently unveiled at the LA Auto Show, and the automaker is already advertising the quiet engine on both the M35h and Leaf as a selling point for the vehicles.

Drivers who are interested in purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle might want to wait until they hit the used car market, where they'll likely be relatively more affordable than when bought new.
 

The EPA ratings for the highly-anticipated Nissan Leaf have been released, with the government rating the car at 99 miles per gallon overall and 73 miles per charge.

The high ratings in both city (106 mpg) and highway (92 mpg) are big wins for Nissan, who will obviously tout the car's fuel economy when marketing it. The EPA has actually come up with a formula to convert electricity to gas ratings in determining the Leaf's efficiency, as the purely-electric vehicle has no gas tank. What the rating essentially means is that the car uses fuel at the same rate that a gas-powered vehicle rated that highly would.

Yet it's not all celebration for Nissan, as the 73 miles per charge average may be a bit disappointing, considering Nissan originally claimed that the Leaf would be able to travel 100 miles on a charge.

Nissan's North American product planning director Mark Perry defended the claim in an interview with ABC News, saying that the company has been straightforward about the numerous variables that go into mileage.

"As we've said all along, your range varies on driving conditions, temperature, terrain and we've talked about, very openly, this idea of a range of ranges," he said.

Drivers interested in an electric vehicle may wish to wait until they begin to hit the used car market, where they might be found for a discount.

Nissan is going all-in on electric vehicles.

The Japanese automaker has already gained a lot of attention for its Leaf, which will be the one of the first mass-produced fully-electric cars for sale. The company recently announced that it has plans for three more electric vehicles after the Leaf, including a smaller Infiniti model, commercial van and a micro urban car.

"We don't want EVs to be a niche product," said Corporate Vice President Hideaki Watanabe.

The company also unveiled a concept that it stressed was certainly not yet ready for production, but raised a few eyebrows. The "Nissan New Mobility CONCEPT" is a go-kart inspired vehicle that can hit 47 miles per hour and travel 62 miles on a single charge. The company is currently studying uses for the car, like amusement parks and certain cities.

Drivers interested in electric vehicles may want to wait until a few hit the used car market, as the novelty of the technology will likely make them quite expensive for a few years.

Japanese automaker Nissan is recalling more than 2.14 million vehicles worldwide due to an issue that could lead to engine failure and stalling.

The notice affects used Nissans, mainly SUVs, from 2003 through 2006. The 762,000 vehicles recalled in North America include Pathfinders and Xterras from '03-'06, Armadas, Titans and Infiniti Q56s from '04-'06 and Frontiers from '05-'06.

The issue centers around the electric relay, which supplies power to the engine control module when the car is started. Over time, this relay can build up a silicon vapor. If that vapor becomes oxidized, the engine can stall and fail.

Drivers who bring their vehicle in as part of the recall, the third-largest ever for Nissan, will have a new electric relay installed. The process takes about half-an-hour.

Nissan says that no accidents, injuries or fatalities have been reported due to the problem. The flaw also applies to 835,000 cars in Japan and 354,000 in Europe.

If a driver is considering buying a used Nissan or any other used car, they should ensure that the dealer has made the necessary repairs to the vehicle. 

Over the next few months, Japanese automaker Nissan plans to introduce several big changes to its lineup of vehicles. As older models are replaced by new ones, drivers can expect previous vehicles to hit the used car lot at a discount.

Nissan's new ad campaign promises "innovation for all," and the company is putting its money where its mouth is by unveiling several brand-new or redesigned models before the end of the year.

The most visible of these will obviously be the highly-anticipated Leaf, which will be one of the first all-electric vehicles to go into mass production. The Leaf will be available in several markets in December before slowly rolling out nationwide in 2011. Demand is already high for the vehicle with the company already surpassing its sales totals. It's due to go head to head with the Chevy Volt, but the Leaf holds a key advantage (or possibly a disadvantage) over the Volt in that it only contains an electric motor compared to the Volt's electric-gas hybrid engine.

Another model sure to turn heads is the new Murano CrossCabriolet, which the company is touting as the first convertible crossover. Early impressions have been polarizing, with some loving the bold choice to offer a convertible on an SUV-like vehicle and others liking the idea less. Nissan itself has admitted that it doesn't expect the car to sell well compared to the regular Murano, but hopes that the design will call attention to its new marketing strategy as an innovator.

The brand-new Juke crossover is another new car that may benefit from Nissan's aggressive styling. Unlike other cars in the compact crossover class, the Juke achieves a coupe-like design by using sharp angles to immediately catch the eye. The vehicle is powered by a newly-designed 1.6-liter direct-injection turbo engine that produces 188 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque.

The last new model is the redesigned Quest minivan, and while this design won't turn heads like the new Murano or Juke, it got the attention of some insiders simply for being a minivan. As other automakers move away from this segment and parents move toward crossovers and SUVs, Nissan is banking on the dwindling minivan market to fall in love with the redesigned Quest. Previous versions of the van weren't as popular as competitors' models, so Nissan is hoping the new model will lure buyers back.

With so many new models set to debut before the end of the year and even more slated for 2011, buyers who are in the market for a car may want to hold off and wait for a used Nissan, as many of the older models will likely be able to be found at a discount compared to their current price.