Nissan IMS Concept Review
Nissan IMS Concept Review
Posted on October 29, 2021
The future is arriving faster than ever in the Canadian car industry. The power and sophistication of electric vehicle technology is advancing hugely with every passing year, and the end of the gas-guzzling SUV is surely now in sight. But how exactly will the best cars of the near future look and perform? Nissan has some strong ideas about where they want the industry to go, and this Nissan IMS Concept review shows the plans they have in store.
Sleek Sedan Stylings
Is the dominance of the SUV profile finally receding? The Nissan IMS Concept is built to what the company calls an 'elevated sedan' design, which takes the streamlined and stylish shape of a reimagined fastback sedan and gives it a little extra height to mimic the confidence of crossovers. The cabin is topped by a glass roof stretching from front to back, while the four doors open clamshell-style for completely unhindered access to the interior.
All this combined, the IMS looks sleekly futuristic but without the sci-fi affectations of some of the more outlandish models appearing recently, and would certainly grace any style-conscious suburban driveway.
Searing Electric Power
However, it's in the all-electric powertrain where the IMS concept starts to get really interesting. Not only is the engineering fully electric, but it's also capable of entirely autonomous operation - although it remains to be seen if this option is fully present if and when the production version arrives.
Power is supplied to all four wheels thanks to dual electric motors, together providing a seriously impressive output of 483 horsepower and 590lb-ft of torque. What's more, the 115kWh battery allows a theoretical maximum range of over 600km, surely enough to banish all thoughts of range anxiety for good.
Unique Autonomous Features
The IMS Concept offers some unique, even frivolous features related to the autonomous driving options. Again, it's by no means certain any of these will survive to the production line, but they're certainly features that grab the attention. To begin with, once the autonomous mode is activated, the steering wheel retracts into the dash and the exterior signals the control change by emitting a flashing blue glow from the lighting.
Autonomous mode also frees up the front seats to turn sociably toward the rear, while the centre of the rear seat can fully recline to provide a resting place for the unneeded driver.
Other tech advances include cameras and screens to replace the side and rear view mirrors, multiple digital information displays, and 'advanced driver assistance technology' that's so far unspecified.
Nissan IMS Review: The Verdict
The Nissan IMS is a mightily impressive concept car. In autonomous mode it offers entirely hands-free driving in unrivalled comfort, while in manual mode it boasts performance to match any sedan currently available. Electric vehicle tech is advancing so quickly that it's hard to be sure how much of the IMS Concept will make it into a production vehicle, but as a pointer to the level of engineering excellence already possible, it offers a tantalizing glimpse of a powerful and stylish all-electric near future.