Nissan will Unveil its New Fully-electric Ariya Crossover on July 15th

author: Manish Kharinta   

The Nissan Ariya is the company's first fully-electric SUV

Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. managed to stir up a lot of excitement for its Ariya electric crossover concept when it was unveiled during the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Since then, Nissan has been working on developing a new battery-powered SUV using the Ariya concept as its foundation. 

After months of speculation and numerous patent drawing leaks, Nissan has finally confirmed that a production-ready prototype of the Ariya EV will make its global debut on July 15th. Nissan confirmed that Ariya will be an all-electric crossover.

Here's What We Know

The official unveiling is scheduled to take place in Yokohama, Japan. The carmaker has also disclosed that the Ariya will not get a traditional grille, instead the electric crossover will sport the company's "Shield Grille", which will be used to protect components that support Nissan's ProPILOT driver assistance system.

Sales of the Nissan Leaf EV, which has been the company's front runner in the battery-only segment over the past decade, has been on a decline for quite a while now. More consumers are opting for compact crossovers and sport utility vehicles instead of  traditional sedans and hatchbacks, which has put a dent in Nissan Leaf sales. 

In 2018, Nissan managed to sell 14,715 units of Leaf in the U.S., but that number dropped to just 12,365 units in 2019.

Here's What to Expect

We assume that the Ariya is Nissan's well-strategized move to slingshot itself ahead of the competition in the EV space, as it did with the once popular Leaf. The automaker claims the Ariya will offer the ultimate balance of sportscar-like performance, attractive styling, impressive interior features, including ample cabin space and storage, as well as commendable utility.

In the leaked patent drawing shows a large horizontal panel that sits atop the dashboard. Although the photo is of the right-hand-drive version of the Ariya, the instrument panel might include a wide touchscreen display in the production-spec model. The widescreen display will probably double as the car's infotainment display and will also act as a multi-information and instrument display for the driver.

Price Estimation and Competition Check

Considering how Nissan's reasonable approach to pricing was monumental in the success of its Leaf EV, we expect that the carmaker will not break its practice and will offer Ariya with a competitive price tag. 

The new electric SUV will probably undercut the pricing of its main rival in the segment—the Hyundai Kona electric. It's expected that the price of the Ariya will start somewhere south of $37,000 in the U.S.

At one point, Nissan estimated it would sell up to 8 million vehicle worldwide each year, but the company has been in turmoil since the arrest of former CEO and Chairman Chalos Ghosn in November 2018 amid allegations of financial misconduct at the company. 

Last year, Nissan only managed to sell around 5 million units worldwide. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, auto sales are taking a major hit and we do not expect these numbers to change without some serious intervention. 

Nissan reported a $6.2 billion loss for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, so the company faces an uphill battle in returning to profitability.

Nissan also announced that it will be shutting down up to four production facilities in addition to reducing its workforce by 10%, which is why we think it is safe to say that the fully-electric Ariya SUV is a very important new product for Nissan.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.