European cousin of the Altima continues to live as a zero emission one-off.
The Nissan Bluebird is a compact car that was better known than the Altima in North America. This nameplate remains part of Nissan’s current lineup in the United States. The U11 series was made in Europe in the Nissan plant in Sunderland. This factory is celebrating its 35th anniversary. The automaker created a unique project to mark this important anniversary.
The gallery below shows a Nissan Bluebird converted into an electric car. The vehicle now bears the Newbird name and uses the Nissan Leaf’s drivetrain, which includes the motor, inverter and 40-kWh battery. For better weight distribution, the battery modules were placed between the engine bay & boot. Nissan stated that the transformation required significant modifications to the Bluebird’s chassis and body.
Although the Newbird isn’t homologated for public roads, Nissan estimates that it can travel 130 miles (209 km) before needing to recharge its battery. It can travel 0-60 miles per hour (0-100 km/h) in 15 seconds and can be charged with up to 6.8 kW. The original fuel flap has been replaced by the charging port. Even the fuel gauge shows the current battery charge.
The car is almost stocky from the outside, but we must admit that the Kinghorn Electric Vehicles family-run business for EV transformations has done a fantastic job. The illuminated Nissan badge on its front fascia is the only sign that this car is truly zero-emissions. The Newbird conceals a modified suspension underneath to support the extra weight of the battery packs.
As we celebrate 35 years in manufacturing here, the ‘Newbird’ symbolises all that is great at our plant, past, present and future. Our rich history of building great cars goes back to the original Bluebird model. Now, our amazing team is leading the way in driving towards an electrified, carbon neutral future,” Alan Johnson (VP, Nissan’s Sunderland factory).