Infiniti teases electrified performance concept
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 10th Aug 2018
INFINITI has teased its latest concept vehicle, this time an electrified performance vehicle designed to showcase the brand’s dynamic credentials, ahead of a public reveal at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 23.
Only a single, abstract teaser image has been released of the new concept, which shows a top-down view of the cockpit with a racing harness, sports seat, red-and-black steering wheel and possibly a single-seat set-up.
A single-seater would hark back to the concept revealed by Infiniti at last year’s Pebble Beach event – the Prototype 9 all-electric racecar inspired by the Grand Prix racers of the 1940s.
The Protoype 9 employed a 120kW/320Nm electric motor powertrain, however given that Infiniti has described the as-yet-unnamed concept as “electrified”, it will could employ petrol-electric hybrid power.
Another powertrain option is the e-Power range-extender, which uses a small-capacity petrol engine to charge a battery that powers the electric motor.
If the brand decides to use a petrol-electric hybrid, it would be a chance to team its new variable-compression VC Turbo petrol engine to an electric motor.
Infiniti describes the concept as providing “a window into the brand’s desire to deliver driving joy and thrilling performance from electrified powertrains”, suggesting it will have a focus on handling and dynamics, as well as straight-line performance.
Few other details have been released regarding the concept, however it is in line with the brand’s decision earlier in the year to proliferate its line-up with more hybrid and EV models.
In January, Infiniti announced it will launch its first pure EV in 2021, and by 2025 over half of its global sales will consist of electrified vehicles.
It currently has two V6 mild-hybrid offerings in its Australian line-up, with variants in the Q50 and Q70 sedan ranges.
Infiniti executive design director Karim Habib said the concept would give a hint to the brand’s future direction.
“Our new concept provides clues to where the INFINITI brand is heading,” he said.
“For us, electrification means performance – our electrified cars will be powerful, efficient, and a joy to drive, and the new concept is a physical representation of our electrified performance future.”
Through the first seven months of 2018 Infinti has sold a total of 350 vehicles, down 25.2 per cent on the 468 it managed to the same point last year.
