Nissan Reveals Production Ariya EV SUV

Nissan’s full-range EV set to go on sale in Japan next year, with U.S. and Canadian sales by the end of 2021.

July 1, 2020

Paul Seredynski

Arriving nearly unchanged from its concept debut at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the all-new Nissan Ariya is set to go on sale first in Japan in 2021. (Nissan)

Nissan has revealed the production version of its Ariya electric vehicle (EV), a 5-door SUV with an intended range of 300 miles. Nissan claims the Ariya will go on sale in Japan next year, with U.S. and Canadian sales beginning before the end of 2021 at a $40,000 starting price. The Ariya Concept made its debut at the 2019 Tokyo Auto show, and the production version is similar in size, configuration and range to the upcoming Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID4.

The Ariya’s HMI will permit owners to use natural speech to adjust car settings, and upgrades to the system and vehicle functionality will be enabled by over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. (Nissan)

According to Nissan’s COO Ashwani Gupta, the Ariya is key in Nissan’s plan to roll out 10 new models in 20 months, and demonstrates the company’s commitment to meeting customer demand for SUVs. “The company expects sales of its EVs and e-POWER electrified models to be more than 1 million units a year by the end of fiscal 2023,” Gupta said. “The Ariya will play a significant role in attaining that goal.”

Nissan claims that the sleek, low-profile IP was enabled by new, more-compact HVAC components. (Nissan)

Thanks to its dedicated Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi alliance CMF-EV EV platform, the Nissan Ariya will sport a nearly flat fold-down cargo floor. (Nissan)

To improve the sense of interior space, the Ariya will feature Nissan’s thinner Zero Gravity seating. (Nissan)

The 2-row, 5-passenger SUV will be available in single-motor FWD (215 hp/160 kW; 221 lb-ft/300 Nm), or dual-motor AWD (389 hp/290 kW; 443 lb-ft/600 Nm) versions, and employs the Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi alliance’s new CMF-EV platform. Two battery packs will be offered: 63 or 87 kWh. The Ariya will provide Level-2 charging up to 7.2 kW but will shun CHAdeMO in favor of the new CCS DC fast-charging standard, at voltages up to 130 kW.

Nissan claims the Ariya will feature the most advanced application yet of its driver-assist technology. It includes the next generation of its ProPILOT Assist 2.0, which uses driver attention monitoring to enable hands-off highway driving. The Ariya will also feature e-Pedal, which permits “one-pedal” driving by enabling the driver to start, accelerate and decelerate using only the accelerator.

The Ariya SUV will take advantage of its battery-pack platform to provide a flat load floor, and Nissan claims interior space was improved by using its thin-profile Zero Gravity seats and new compact climate-control components. Nissan noted that the Ariya’s HMI will permit owners to use natural speech to adjust car settings, and that upgrades to the system and vehicle functionality will be enabled by over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates.