It’s confirmed. The third-generation Nissan Leaf will morph into an SUV, Nissan Europe boss Guillaume Cartier advised Autocar. Set to be launched round 2025, the brand new EV can be primarily based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s modular CMF-EV platform.
By then, the report additionally added that Nissan’s core European fashions can be electrified crossovers, specifically the Juke, Qashqai, Ariya, X-Trail, and the brand new Leaf. Nissan additionally revealed it gained’t spend money on the inner combustion engine to satisfy EU7 emissions, as a result of the fee accounts for half of the revenue margin per automotive. Which means 2,000 euros (RM9.7k) will get handed onto the client. “So we wager on EV, realizing it should lower in value,” Cartier mentioned.
Nissan gained’t develop every other standard fashions similar to sedans, hatchbacks or estates, however will flip to the Alliance to supply for underpinnings for different segments just like the Micra substitute.
“We’ll look to the Alliance for a full line-up of powertrains. One matter that’s nonetheless open is the entry [level]. Key level is how we provide one thing from the Alliance with the Nissan model,” Cartier mentioned, including that making the small automotive worthwhile can be the principle difficulty. The Micra substitute will “completely” be absolutely electrical, although. The automaker expects 80% of its gross sales to be full EVs by 2030.
As for different fuels, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida mentioned it gained’t be investing in hydrogen gas cell expertise, selecting to concentrate on battery EVs as a substitute. “Our rivals have many options for expertise. For us, we determined EVs. We used to have hydrogen expertise at Nissan, and possibly in a special world, we nonetheless would. However up to now, this [EV] is our asset and what we need to be on.”
Uchida additionally mentioned the way forward for Nissan sports activities vehicles in Europe stay unsure as a result of wants of electrification. Nevertheless, its participation in Formulation E will stay, as a result of it aligns with the corporate’s electrical ambitions.
