Nissan was one of the first manufacturers to offer a fully electric vehicle, with its LEAF bursting onto the scene in 2010. Now, it’s planning to release a fully electric crossover – yet to be named – in 2020, giving those with a growing family the chance to take advantage of its cutting-edge engineering and cleaner performance.
Details of the model aren’t yet readily available, but it’s expected to have a dual motor variant – providing four-wheel drive capabilities – and sit on the same platform as the new Nissan LEAF. Where it will differ, however, is in the lithium-ion battery pack, which is rumoured to be undergoing a revamp to provide a range of some 300 miles.
Nissan’s corporate vice president for global product strategy and product planning, Ivan Espinosa, suggested that the new model will follow the IMx Kuro concept that was introduced at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. This model was capable of generating 429bhp and 700Nm of torque, and featured Nissan’s ProPILOT driver assistance system, which is currently available on the most recent iteration of the LEAF.
Espinosa added that the absence of an internal combustion engine was giving Nissan greater flexibility in terms of space, enabling them to experiment with the vehicle’s interior design and the placement of various functions.
The power system motors and controllers are all being developed in-house and, once finalised, may be translated into Renault and Mitsubishi models. For the time being, however, details of the processes and components are firmly under wraps.
To discover more about Nissan’s electric vehicles, both current and forthcoming, contact South West Nissan in Wellington, Barnstaple and Exeter today.