Japanese automaker Nissan unveiled its brand-new ZEOD RC race car that will debut at the next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Developed to achieve speed in excess of 300 km/h (186 mph), the ZEOD RC will use the same lithium battery technology found in the Nissan Leaf road car.
Set to undergo extensive testing before the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new vehicle will compete under the ACO's ‘Garage 56' entry with an additional spot on the grid for vehicles that showcase new and innovative technology.
The new car’s design is very similar to that of the DeltaWing Nissan-backed race that competed at the Le Mans in 2012. While the Japanese withdrew from the DeltaWing project earlier this year, the vehicle’s designer, Ben Bowlby, was appointed director of motorsport innovation at Nissan, which basically explains the body shape.
"Nissan has become a global leader in the development of zero emission automotive technology and the Nissan ZEOD RC will allow us to further develop those capabilities using the toughest endurance race in the world as a mobile test bed to test the potential of our planned LM P1 power train," said Andy Palmer, executive vice president of Nissan.
"The Nissan ZEOD RC is a natural progression that follows on from the development of the Nissan Leaf road car and the Leaf RC race car prototype. The technologies developed through the ZEOD RC program will form part of future innovations for Nissan road cars,” added Palmer.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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