Nissan eyes up new EV SUV

Nissan has unveiled a Tesla Model Y competitor in the form of the Ariya. And Nissan New Zealand is very keen to get it here, writes Richard Bosselman.

Delight and desire – those are the emotions expressed by Nissan’s local boss in reaction to the make’s latest concept. Though the all-electric Ariya, revealed at Tokyo’s Motor Show days ago, is being described as a design render, Nissan has made it clear this X-Trail-sized model is a preview of its second mass market all-electric – and first entirely electric SUV – set for release in 2021.

Nissan New Zealand managing director John Manley likes what he sees – and says he can easily picture this kind of model fitting comfortably into his local model plan and the national driving scape.

The pluses? Pretty obvious, really. SUVs are hot, Kiwi interest in electric cars is growing and having a robust-looking alternate to the Leaf – the country’s best-selling EV (albeit as a used import, not in brand-new form) – with a proposed range of 480 kilometres obviously would strengthen his marque’s status within the EV segment.

Overseas media are even starting to call it a natural competitor for Tesla’s impending Model Y, and more buzz could well come from it being super-zappy – Nissan is suggesting the concept at least will be capable of supercar levels of performance.

Nissan’s global vice-president for design Alfonso Albaisa told media at the show that the mid-size SUV will be ‘‘almost as fast’’ as the ballistic Nissan GT-R performance flagship, which employs a 400kW-plus twinturbo 3.8-litre V6 to smash out 0-100kmh in fewer than 3 seconds.

There’s already talk connecting Ariya with a new high-output twinmotor electric all-wheel drive that the brand claims will deliver a healthy 227kW of power and no less than 680Nm of torque.

This system was revealed a day after Ariya’s unveiling, in a vehicle based on the Nissan Leaf e+ hatch.

The crossover is reportedly set to sit on the same platform as the Leaf certainly doesn’t mean that it may not be coming – I’m sure we will get a lot of info coming to us after the show closes.’’

As for being a vehicle type he would have interest in?

Well, absolutely it is.

‘‘I think we are familiar with the fact that the appetite for EVs is increasing globally at colossal rate, even though the actual take-up rate is still very low.

‘‘I think it is a tidal wave that is coming, there is no doubt about that.’’

While Nissan is suggesting the production Ariya will present in a single motor variant as well, the latter offering half the power of the concept and perhaps front-drive, the model will win even more attention for its handling.

Ariya also delivers other advanced technology.

One feature is the latest generation of the ProPilot 2.0 semiautonomous driving aid suite that will provide ‘‘eyes-off’’ driving capability in limited circumstances, such as driving on multi-lane motorways.

Albaisa has suggested that while some elements of Ariya’s swooping shape might be toned down for production – and the 21-inch rims aren’t likely – this is close to the finished article.

And the name might be used, too, as Nissan has already filed for a trademark for Ariya in the United States.

The Ariya was unveiled at the recent Tokyo Motor Show.

The same size as the X-Trail but allelectric, the Nissan Ariya sounds like a no-brainer for the local market.

While the show car’s huge 21-inch wheels aren’t likely on a production model, the rest of the EV is pretty much ready to go.

Like the rest of the concept car, the Ariya’s hi-tech minimalist interior looks pretty much production-ready.