- Second electric model after Nissan Leaf
- 450 kilometres of range and 390bhp with AWD
Nissan has officially taken the wraps off the all-new Ariya electric-SUV. At first, it appears to be the same concept model that we saw at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. Which means the Japanese carmaker has managed to retain the futuristic styling on the production-ready model of the electric SUV while showcasing their EV prowess.
By the looks of it, the Ariya carries the coupe-SUV body style while also debuting the new design philosophy. The sleek wraparound headlamps are decorated with chrome and black gloss materials around the nose. The air-vents are placed lower on the bumper while the vertical slashes on either side of the fascia add character.
In profile, the large 20-inch aero wheels complement the blacked-out fenders while the sloping roof carries a pretty conventional style seen on coupe-SUVs of late. At the back, we liked the petite rear windscreen and sporty spoiler with a dual shark-fin antenna. The tail lamps running across the tailgate are finished in black too and they are joined by the all-black diffuser.
On the inside, the minimalistic cabin gets dual-floating screen setup as seen on Merc’s MBUX system. There are a few buttons on the centre console but they are hidden to make the cabin look clutter-free. Also new is the two-spoke steering wheel with a flat-bottom design. And for the gear lever, the Ariya has a console sitting on the adjustable centre armrest which can be in sync with the driver’s seat settings. Seats at the back get conventional bench with ample room and the boot space is fairly large and usable too.
Based on a new electric platform developed by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, the Ariya can be had with two- and all-wheel-drive layouts with single or dual electric motor setup. The former model puts out 215bhp and 300Nm while the latter with AWD dual-motor configuration is good for 390bhp and 600Nm. The AWD setup takes 7.5 seconds to sprint from zero to 100kmph, while the AWD and dual-motor setup takes just 5.1 seconds for the same. Top speed is limited to 200kmph.
The usable 87kWh (90kWh gross) battery pack claims to offer a driving range of 483 kilometres. There’s also a smaller 63kWh two-wheel-drive model available for urban usage. Also part of the hardware is Nissan’s ProPilot 2.0 autonomous tech along with all the connectivity features.
The Nissan Ariya is slated to go on sale in Japan first by 2021. It will then be available in international markets, but Indian debut isn’t expected to happen anytime soon.
