CHECK OUT THE NISSAN LEAF’S 545-HORSEPOWER RANGE-EXTENDING ENGINE

According to Nissan, the Leaf electric vehicle travels about 84 miles on a single charge.  For most of us, that’s sufficient for commuting or around town driving, but not enough range for longer trips. That’s why Nissan recently introduced the GeneraToR, a 545-horsepower GT-R engine/generator in a trailer that can be hitched to the back of the Leaf.

Nissan’s trailer-mounted GeneraToR is powered by the company’s GT-R twin-turbo V-6 engine.

The GeneraToR automatically starts up when the car’s battery drains to about a 10-percent charge.  “You don’t want to be standing near that trailer when it lights up, “says Nissan spokesman Archie Cemento.  “It’s downright scary, and the exhaust heat will melt your Skechers if you’re standing too close to the pipes,” he chuckles.

While the price has not been disclosed, Nissan does claim the GeneraToR provides enough power for approximately 2,100 miles of driving.
Unfortunately, hauling the 950-pound trailer drops the Leaf’s range back down to 85 miles.

When asked his thoughts about BMW’s new i3 with its two-cylinder range extender engine, Cemento just laughs.  “Yeah, that’s just what everybody wants–a car that looks like a computer mouse with a scooter engine.”