Nissan ramps up its electrification efforts with the Ariya crossover EV, which is set to arrive in Singapore in 2022

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

Nissan has unveiled the new Ariya during a virtual launch event in Japan, and the crossover electric vehicle (EV) will spearhead Nissan’s efforts in electrifying its lineup in the years ahead

The Ariya will only go on sale in Japan starting from mid-2021, so we probably won’t expect to see it here until at least late 2021 or even early 2022. Pricing details are also yet to be finalised, but using Nissan’s own Leaf EV, as well as fellow crossover EVs like the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro, as reference points, the Ariya should probably land somewhere in the $180,000 or so range with COE included.

UPDATE: Local Nissan distributor Tan Chong Motor has confirmed that the Ariya is targeted for a Q1 2022 launch in Singapore. Prices will be firmed up closer to the launch date.

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The Ariya is Nissan’s second mass production EV after the Leaf, and will spearhead Nissan’s aim to have one million of its electrified vehicles on the roads globally by 2023. The company is already halfway there, with almost 500,000 Leaf EVs sold so far, although that figure is spread across two generations over 10 years, The Ariya will have the task of doubling that figure within three years.

Part of that strategy will involve Nissan prioritising full EVs like the Ariya for mature EV markets such as China, Europe and the US, where there are more advanced infrastructure development and a greater acceptance of EVs from consumers, according to Nissan’s Senior Vice President, Ivan Espinosa.

For markets with slightly less established EV infrastructure, such as ASEAN and Australia, the electrification drive will be led by Nissan’s e-Power range. The e-Power cars, which includes models like the Serena MPV and Kicks small SUV, uses an electric motor as its primary drive system, but have an internal combustion engine (ICE) to provide charge to the electric drivetrain.

What is e-Power, and how does it work?

Full EVs like the Ariya will still be offered for these markets, but they will be rolled out accordingly based on each country’s level and progress in EV infrastructure development, says Espinosa.

In America, the Ariya’s biggest rival is likely to be the new Tesla Model Y. But it is in China where the Ariya will encounter its biggest challengers. There, it will face off against numerous Chinese start-ups that have already had a head start in offering premium crossover SUVs in the world’s biggest EV market, with models such as the Nio ES6 and Xpeng G3 among the many competitors that the Ariya will have to contend with.

Next page: Drivetrain details and EV range

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