Photo courtesy Nissan

Nissan's Cube: A base for the new electric?

I'm excited to hear that Nissan plans to start selling a mainstream electric car. The word is that it will be offered first to fleet customers (by 2010) and to the general public (by 2012). With the notable exception of GM's EV1, no major manufacturer has sold a plug-in car since the 1920s.

According to the online Motor Authority, the car will have a conventional electric motor in the front, but the company is also working with small 20-horsepower motors in each of the four wheels (a version that could be on the market by 2015). In concept vehicles such as the Mixim and Cube, Nissan has worked with lithium-ion batteries, so those are a virtual certainty, too.

Auto Week says the electric car will have a range of 100 miles, and will reach 75 mph, charging fully in eight hours. On the surface, these are not overwhelming numbers. The EV1 could probably meet them and was certainly faster than the Nissan will be. The company intends the cars for commuters, most of whom travel fewer than 100 miles a day. But that's always been true, and it hasn't resulted in significant battery sales. I will say this: with so-so numbers like this, the electric car better be affordable.

Affordability was not exactly on my mind with the Range Rover HSE I tested recently. Instead of a few dollars worth of charge, this Land Rover fills up on premium and drinks it at a rate of 12 to 18 mpg. Opt for the supercharged version, and 12 mpg will likely be your average. And, of course, prices start at $77,000 and go north.

First, the positives: The HSE is comfortable, quiet and doesn't feel as big as it is on the highway. The interior is stylish, with a multitude of storage bins and thoughtful cubbies. Rear-seat customers won't complain. I personally don't care for two-piece tailgates, but this one provides reasonable access. The sunroof can be left open with little wind noise. But it's so tall that it provides a challenge in parking garages. I scraped the height marker entering one, and was deathly afraid I was going to knock out a ceiling light or run into a concrete beam support. It wasn't really compensation for me to know I could drive with my top hat on. ¦