Nissan to launch electric cars in '10

Both cars are bespoke designs rather then adaptations of existing petrol models, one being a three door city car, the other a small saloon. The cars are said to be capable of achieving 125 miles on a single charge, with a complete recharge possible in 20-40 minutes. Nissan plans to offer the two cars in selected cities across Europe from 2012, including London, Paris, Monaco and Lisbon. It is working with city authorities to establish a network of recharging stations, and is also keen to ensure that significant incentives are offered to buyers of the cars.

The cars will be energised buy lithium-ion batteries of an allegedly novel chemical composition developed under a joint partnership that Nissan has formed with Japanese electronics specialist NEC. They also benefit from more space-efficient packaging, which Nissan demonstrated with the Mixim concept, pictured here, that was unveiled last year. The batteries are expected to have a life of around 62,000 miles and five years, and Nissan envisages leasing them to owners.

The company says it wants to become a "global leader" in the electric car market, and has already negotiated a deal with the Israeli government that will see it selling significant numbers of electric cars there thanks to changes in the tax laws that will make electric vehicles hugely cheaper there. It is also well-advanced with negotiations to achieve a similar deal in Denmark.