Nissan Design Europe reveals sporty 20-23 EV hatchback concept

London-based Nissan Design Europe (NDE) celebrates its 20th anniversary by unveiling the Nissan Concept 20-23. In a nutshell, this car is a sporty city car that’s propelled by a fully electric powertrain. 

Unveiling Concept 20-23: sporty, electric and city car

Appearance-wise, the car is an ultra-modern take on the three-door hatchback. Its front gets a sizable lower vent paired with another quadrilateral vent angled upwards. The nose, in turn, is curved, sweeping up to a relatively flat hood. It also has a pair of upper and lower semi-circle LED lamps which appear to have been seamlessly integrated into the car’s body. 

The Concept 20-23 by Nissan Design Europe

The sides of the car then get chunky fender flares and very aggressive-looking angular vents just behind the front wheel and in front of the rear wheel. The latter are then accented by deep skirts. It’s Scissor doors though, are relatively smooth compared to the rest of the vehicle. It then transitions to an angular rear bumper which sports huge vents, while the top rear end of the car gets a massive wing. 

It gets scissor doors

It is clear to see that NDE intended the car to be optimized for aerodynamics. In fact, it is reminiscent of hill climb cars that regularly tackle Pikes Peak in the USA. On the 20-23 concept, its deep side skirts, for instance, direct airflow away from the car. The front end’s vents lead air to cool the brakes, while its louvers found on the front and rear wheel arches reduce air resistance in the car’s wheel bays.

From any angle, the concept hatch looks aggressive. 

Inside, the concept gets bucket seats that offer tight support without compromising comfort. Similar to many race cars, NDE’s creation uses a rectangular steering wheel. Likewise present are paddle shifters, a carbon-fiber mounted steering column, and a minimalist dashboard. 

Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida together with the 20-23

No power figures for this concept car were provided by Nissan’s design arm, but it is said to be a fully electric vehicle. Even some bits of its exterior, particularly its relatively spartan exterior are said to be inspired by the Formula E car’s cockpit.   

Inside the 20-23

While the car looks eye-catching, its unveiling was made more special as it took place on a floating barge moored on the section of the Grand Union canal adjacent to the NDE headquarters. But the question now is, is the Japanese brand making something out of this car? Well, nothing was stated by the brand but wishful thinking on our part says it might be a good basis for a sportier version of the Nissan LEAF EV. 

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