Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has taken a lead in the emission free car arms race when they unveiled their brand new electric vehicle and hybrid models this week. The new Electric vehicle, nicknamed the EV-02, has a 660 pound lithium ion battery that is twice as powerful as the conventional hybrid battery. The boxy EV-02 zipped around Nissan's test course, accelerating faster than comparable gas powered cars... quieting electric car critics. Nissan also unveiled a new hybrid model, to compete with Toyota's popular Prius and Honda's Civic models. The dramatic unveiling of the electric vehicle made it clear that battery powered cars are at the center of Nissan's green strategy. The real winner in the no emissions arms race is the consumer, who will be paying less for gas, and the environment, as less emissions are released into the atmosphere. Nissan's new electric car and hybrid set to be released in the US and Japan in 2010, and the rest of the world in 2012. Now it's Toyota and Honda's turn to ...