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Nissan prepares electric NV200 minivan

The commercial sector could be getting a jolt of electricity from Nissan in late 2013. The company is testing all-electric versions of the NV200 minivan with the aim of offering the vehicles in taxi and delivery van models. The NV200 runs the same powertrain as the Nissan Leaf.

Ford Design Center set to expand

Symbolic of the importance it plays in Ford's small car strategy, the automakers Design Center in Cologne, Germany, is about to receive a €11.6m redevelopment. Construction is already underway on the facility's new wing, which will include design studios and 100 workplaces. The 3,000 square-meter extension is set to be completed by the end of the year.

Smart Forstars concept (2012) first offical pictures

It's about time Smart gave us another wacky concept, and this cheeky-looking Paris show-goer should do just the trick. It's an electrically-powered two-seater coupe that'll do 80mph thanks to a Brabus-sourced 81bhp battery-powered drivetrain. The 2012 Smart Forstars concept Smart are touting the Forstars as a sports coupe concept, and it does bear a certain resemblance to the now-defunct Smart coupe, thanks to its prominent two-tone bodywork and wheel-at-each-corner stance.