NISSAN is launching an electric vehicle that it says will change the way people move around cities.

The Nissan Hypermini is designed for shared public use and integration with public transport systems.

Initially, the car will go on sale in the metropolitan areas around Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

The Hypermini is a two-seater, electric vehicle, using a high-performance lithium-ion battery, that can travel 100 miles on a £1 charge, with a top speed of more than 60mph.

A vehicle rental company has also been asked to experiment with the car and the on-board technology that allows shared public use.

Tourists will also take part in the Hypermini tests to travel from their hotels to the local sightseeing spots.

The Nissan Hypermini, which is designed for short journeys around town, can be booked online and by telephone, or can be rented at unmanned vehicle stations located at stations and hotels.

An operations control centre monitors the use of the Hypermini, and is able to locate the vehicle's position at any time.

Drivers can access route guidance and traffic information from the operations centre, which can be transferred automatically to the in-car navigation system.

A button on the dashboard activates the automatic location system, and provides directions to the nearest terminal at any point during the course of a journey.

To eliminate the possibility of power failure, the car warns the driver of a low charge level before the vehicle becomes unable to reach a return station.

Story date: Wednesday 03 November

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.