Nissan unveils electric car design

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- A new electric vehicle by Nissan Motor Co. will be introduced in late 2010, the company announced from its Yokohama, Japan, headquarters Sunday.

The full design of the "Leaf," a hatchback, was unveiled at the company's birthplace at a ceremony to open the new eco-friendly headquarters in Kanagawa Prefecture.

''This car represents a real breakthrough,'' Nissan President Carlos Ghosn told the Kyodo news agency. ''For the first time in our industry history, a car manufacturer will mass-market a zero-emission car -- an ultimate solution for sustainable mobility."

A fully-electric, medium-sized family sedan will be available in Japan, the United States and Europe next year and will be mass produced globally in 2012, the company said.

The vehicle is designed to compete with popular hybrids offered by Toyota and Honda. It is powered by lightweight and compact laminated lithium ion batteries under the floor, will have a cruising range of more than 99 miles per charge and will seat five people, Kyodo reported.