Nissan Altra: a full EV in 1998. Reportedly 1 of 200 made
Posted by Drzhivago138@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Posted by Drzhivago138@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 19 comments
n541x@reddit
The batteries are only meant to support 1000 charge cycles on these. The first production car to have lithium ion batteries. Either it has really low miles or they last longer than they thought they would.
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
Used the body of the R'nessa, a tall station wagon that would've been called a crossover if that term was common at the time. Ran on lithium ion batteries rather than lead-acid or NiMH like most experimental EVs at the time. Had 2+2 seating and a 120-mile range.
PuzzleheadedRoyal480@reddit
I see 4 doors and it’s a wagon, how is it a 2 + 2? That means a coupe with rear seats, not a 4 (rather than 5) seat sedan/wagon/SUV
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
Is there any source that specifies 2+2 must be a coupe?
Drallo@reddit
A 2+2 specifically means it only has doors for two of the seats. Two seats, plus two (things we aren't willing to call full seats - because they have restricted access and are almost always undersized.)
This is a four seater, all the seats have a door and appear roughly comparable in size and comfort.
Wojtas_@reddit
Absolutely not. For example, 2+3+2 is how you traditionally write down the seating setup of a minivan.
2+2 is just that - 2 in the front, 2 in the back. Most cars are 2+3, Fiat Multipla would be 3+3, and Chrysler Pacifica is 2+3+3.
This notation says nothing about seats being undersized. Although I've seen the notation of 2+2 for coupes with small rear seats, or 5+2 in relation to small 7 seater crossovers, that is by far the less common of these 2 notations.
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
I've honestly never heard this requirement before. Only 2 seats in front, 2 in back. Is there some sort of governing body to make the determination?
Then again, when someone says "2+2", I first think of this before any car.
TheBarkingPenguin@reddit
Two, plus two. Two doors (and presumably seats) plus two extra seats.
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
But where is it stated it must have only 2 doors? (Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to start an argument; I just really wanna know where the term originated)
TheBarkingPenguin@reddit
I don't downvote the curious.
As for your question, I don't know. It just seems to be the convention. Technically we could refer to minivans as "2+3+2s" following that logic.
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
Fair enough. I suppose the big American landyachts with only 2 doors could then be 3+3s. Or when Detroit made 2-door full-size wagons, they could be 3+3+3s.
TheBarkingPenguin@reddit
A bus is a 1+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+4+2+Washroom
Drallo@reddit
This ad is so effective I want one of these for city driving
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
They didn't have the best visibility because the engine was placed entirely ahead of the front axle.
AzureBelle@reddit
yeah...not sure where OP got that, as it's referred to as a station wagon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_R%27nessa
Maybe the back seat was minimized to make room for the batteries?
Drzhivago138@reddit (OP)
The batteries were under the floor, which gave an odd seating position.
TWITCHAY@reddit
Never heard of this. How long before Aging Wheels gets a hold of one?
tomato432@reddit
the altra and hypermini are incredibly rare, of the 26 USDM hyperminis at least 11 no longer exist because nissan crushed the pasadena ones after their leases expired and the altra jalopnik tested in that article may be the last fully functioning example, on top of that the altra isn't that interesting, aside from the fact that its a 1998 EV with a 200km range its intentionally designed to just be an ordinary 90s nissan with nothing else special about it because nissan wanted to prove EVs could just be normal cars
Dj_Simon@reddit
I like how some of these foreign exclusive models came to North America as EVs