Home Green Cars 7 : Battery Powered Cars 7.9 : Japan 7.9.1 Nissan Nissan: Environmentally Friendly / Green Cars 7.9.1.  Nissan See Part 2, The Last 100 Years, Section 3.3. (Nissan 1947). In 1996 Nissan produced the Prairie Joy Electric Vehicle, which was powered by lithium-ion batteries. Between 1998 and 2000 Nissan made about 130 Altra EV station wagons powered by Li-ion batteries. The vehicle had a maximum range of 190 km (120 miles) and a top speed of just over 75 kph (47 mph). By 1998 Nissan had produced an ultra-small electric two-seater vehicle called the Hypermini. Between 1999 and 2001 about 219 were manufactured. It had a top speed of 100 kph (62.5 mph) and a maximum range of 115 km (72 miles).    [ Back ]