Production of Infiniti’s first electric vehicle has been intentionally delayed as the brand seeks to ensure improved technologies make it into the model now due in 2015.
Nissan head of global planning Andy Palmer revealed production of the Infiniti EV has been delayed to give the company time to improve fundamental elements like the car’s wireless induction charging system and lithium-ion battery.
Palmer told industry journal Automotive News Europe: “There are some interesting advances in electric technology we hadn’t anticipated when we showed the LE, which, by delaying a little bit, we can incorporate into the car.”
While declining to speculate on a new launch date, Palmer said production would not bedelayed“significantly”.
“It’s still within our mid-term plan,” he said.
Palmer partly blames a lack of regulatory compliance in regards to wireless induction technology, saying the company had not yet been able to find a wireless induction system better than those currently available.
Palmer also claims Infiniti’s improved lithium-ion battery technology, said to increase range and reduce costs, will be so good that it alone will justify the production EV’s delay.
Originally due to start production in late 2013/early 2014, the upcoming EV is to be based on the Inifinit LE concept (pictured) unveiled at the 2012 New York auto show and is expected to take inspiration from the Essence and Emerg-e concepts.
Infiniti Australia’s Peter Fadeyev has previously said that the local division has “every intention to bring it to Australia
