2022 Nissan Ariya debuts, Japan’s electric-only Tesla rival that may come to UAE

Nissan has just introduced the production version of the all-new Nissan Ariya, an electric crossover SUV that we last saw as a concept on our trip to the Tokyo Motor Show late last year.

With a 100% electric powertrain, the Ariya is the ailing Japanese carmaker’s first EV entry in the near-premium segment that’s dominated by Tesla. It will feature autonomous driving technology, concierge-level assistance, seamless connectivity and a spacious interior that’s made possible by not compromising the overall design for any petrol-engined version — it will only be available as a fully electric car.

Nissan’s designers took advantage of the car’s new EV platform, which allows for a flat floor, and its compact climate-control components to give the Ariya the most spacious cabin in its class. The lounge-like interior features Zero Gravity seats and a walkthrough space where the centre-console should be. The dash displays consist of two 12.3-inch screens, with a heads-up display as well.

An all-new human-machine interface lets customers use natural speech to adjust car settings. Over-the-air firmware updates and Amazon’s Alexa are also available.

The ProPILOT 2.0 advanced driver assistance system and the ProPILOT Remote Park and e-Pedal features are standard, as is Nissan’s Safety Shield system. This includes Intelligent Around View Monitor, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking and Rear Automatic Emergency Braking technology.

Customers can choose from multiple configurations. These include two-wheel-drive and e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive versions, as well as two different battery sizes.

Two-wheel-drive models with a 63 kWh battery produce 215 hp and do 0-100 kph in 7.5 seconds. The 87 kWh models make 239 hp but take 7.6 seconds to reach 100 kph due to their heavier batteries. Both produce 300 Nm of torque. Top speeds are limited to 160 kph.

Twin-motor four-wheel drive versions with a 63 kWh battery make 278 hp and can manage the 0-100 kph run in 5.4 seconds. It makes 560 Nm of torque. The Performance model uses the 87 kWh battery pack but produces 389 hp with 600 Nm of torque and reaches 100 kph in just 5.1 seconds. Top speeds are limited to 200 kph.

It seems some markets will also get a 306 hp 87 kWh AWD version capable of 0-100 kph in 5.7 seconds.

Range varies from 430 km to 610 km depending on the version. The car weighs between 1900 and 2200 kg, with a 2775 mm wheelbase. Overall, it is 4595 mm long, 1850 mm wide and 1655 mm tall. Cargo capacity is 466 litres in the 2WD version and 408 litres in the AWD. Standard wheels and tyres are 235/55 on 19-inch wheels, upgradeable to 255/45 on 20-inch wheels.

The Ariya is scheduled to go on sale in Japan in mid-2021. Prices will start at around 5 million yen, equivalent of Dhs 172,000, probably going up to about Dhs 300,000 or more for the Performance model. The Ariya is planned to go on sale in Europe, North America and China by the end of 2021. A GCC launch may also be on the cards, given Nissan Middle East’s eagerness to announce the global debut.