Hidden inside this boxy Nissan concept car called the Cube is the automaker's latest project: a new electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries, Forbes Autos reports. Although Nissan has experimented with hybrids in the past (such as with the Nissan Altima Hybrid), the company is betting on plug-ins for the future, and plans to announce the first one in 2010 for delivery as a 2012 model in the U.S.

That forward-looking goal could be considered a gamble, given today's technology and the shorter range that plug-in vehicles offer. "It is a risky move for them. On a scale of one to 10, I'd say it's an eight," says Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research in Bandon, Oregon. "It really is a good time to do it," Spinella says. "It's high on consumer interest lists. Now how long it lasts, I don't know." The article goes on to point out the usual problem with electric cars—coming up with the right battery technology.