Remember that Nissan Deltawing racer from last year that looked like something that Batman would race? Well, Nissan has just unveiled a hybrid version of the unusual-looking racer called the ZEOD RC. Overall the design principle remains the same as the original Deltawing project, but more attention has been paid to the aerodynamics of the car in order to enhance its efficiency.
The car's unusual looks are due to a different design approach that sees smaller front wheels mounted on a much narrower front axle. As a result the car maintains similar levels of front grip whilst also reducing front tyre wear, as there is less loading on the tyres. The ZEOD RC uses primarily electric power via the same battery technology seen in the Nissan Leaf, but the driver can also switch over to a small lightweight turbocharged engine. It regenerates electric power through an advanced energy recovery system that harvests energy under braking. Nissan says that the car will be capable of hitting speeds in excess of 300km/h and it is expected to lap the 13.7-kilometre Le Mans circuit faster than an LM GTE car.
Nissan's Director of Motorsport Innovation, Ben Bowlby said: "To see the car go down the Mulsanne Straight at 300km/h in virtual silence will be unique. Developing the battery technology to incorporate this into a Le Mans prototype is an enormous challenge, but the lessons learnt will not only be very beneficial for the future LM P1 program, but also we can use this information to assist in the development of future versions of the Nissan LEAF and other electric vehicles for the road."
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Although the ZEOD RC's official race debut won't happen until Le Mans next year, it will be showcased at the upcoming World Endurance Championship round in Fiji before being flown back to the UK where it is currently undergoing an extensive development and testing programme.