Nissan presents new electric SUV Ariya
At the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan presented the all-electric concept Ariya. The electric SUV is a concept car, but already provides a pretty concrete outlook on a future production model, which is expected in about two years.
Nissan did not provide any details on the drive technology of the twin-engine electric model, but it was already leaked in advance that the SUV based on a new electric platform would offer a range of almost 500 kilometers. In today’s presentation, Nissan revealed that the battery-electric vehicle will have a twin-engine configuration and V2G or V2B functions.
Instead of technical data, Nissan today focused primarily on the design of the electric SUV. As expected, the five-seater will be based on the IMx concept presented at the end of 2017. At the time, the IMx was described as a “look into the future” of the “Nissan Intelligent Mobility” strategy. A core element of the technical development is, for example, the new version of the ProPilot, which enables semi-automatic operation of the vehicle. Nissan has now confirmed that they have installed the ProPilot 2.0 in the Ariya and that they intend to update the car’s software in the future via over-the-air updates.
The highlights of the external design include a striking front section with notably thin headlights, wide front fenders and an illuminated front shield instead of the radiator grille. The concept also features short overhangs and a continuous rear light at the rear. As far as the interior is concerned, Nissan, like many other carmakers, is pursuing the approach of transforming the passenger compartment into a lounge. This is underlined with the Ariya’s minimalist design language: The only haptic control elements are the start button, a button for operating a 12.3-inch display and climate control.
According to Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s head of design, a new vehicle architecture always offers the possibility of new definitions – such as “how vehicles interact with society” or “how an EV paired with advanced driving capabilities can offer a new perspective”. The Ariya Concept is designed to ensure that the soul of every Nissan car has an unmistakable Japanese DNA. “something we call ‘Timeless Japanese Futurism’,” says Albaisa.
“The Ariya Concept is just the beginning,” says Yasuhiro Yamauchi, Nissan’s Deputy Managing Director. “Nissan considers how design, packaging and driver enjoyment can be transformed through the architecture of new EV platforms. The Ariya Concept is not a concept car designed from far off ideas, but rather a car that embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility at its core.”
The fully electric SUV is one of eight electric models that Nissan plans to build worldwide by 2022. According to media reports, the car will be based on the new Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi platform that was first mentioned in mid-2018.
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