TOKYO — Nissan’s next electric vehicle, the long-awaited Ariya crossover, is a technological powerhouse with performance chops and a 379-mile range that the Japanese carmaker hopes will rekindle its reputation as a leader in battery-powered vehicles.
In showing the production version of its Tesla fighter in an unveiling online Wednesday, Nissan Motor Co. promises an EV that beats the brand’s all-electric Leaf hatchback in almost every way.
The Ariya will be longer, wider and taller, while packing more power and a longer driving range. Lower grade models will target eco-friendly, tech-savvy customers, while high-end variants go for gusto.
“The model is a major step in Nissan’s transformation as the company refocuses on key strengths, including electrified vehicles and SUVs,” Nissan said.
To herald the new nameplate, Nissan also unveiled a new logo. The refreshed brand emblem is a more two-dimensional, minimalistic reimagining of today’s stylized sun badge. Nissan said the new logo will be used on all upcoming vehicles as they are introduced or refreshed.
The Ariya will go on sale in Japan in mid-2021 and land in North America, Europe and China by the end of next year. U.S. pricing has not been revealed. But in Japan, pricing will start at around 5 million yen ($46,770). High-performance grades are expected to push the price band up by at least another $10,000.
Chief Vehicle Engineer Hikaru Nakajima said the Ariya’s sales launch is not behind schedule despite earlier speculation it would hit showrooms as early as this year.
Nakajima said his team, which has been working on the vehicle for five years, benchmarked the Tesla Model Y crossover, though the goal wasn’t to compete with it on all fronts. Among the Ariya’s advantages, Nakajima said, is much more cabin space than the Model Y.
