[crmalcolm]

Nissan are the focus of a couple of stories at the moment.

The experience from the Leaf has meant that the Ariya may have an advantage of rivals in the development stakes.

“The Ariya is massive for us,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Nissan Europe’s vice-president of marketing for digital customer experience and connected cars. “Historically, we’ve been strong when challenging what’s around us. With the Qashqai, we punched above our weight as a Japanese challenger brand in Europe, and we’ve done the same with the Leaf.

“They brought people to the brand and take notice of us. Combining those two things into one, while showcasing our commitment to electrification and sustainable mobility, will help position us and clarify to customers in Europe what we really stand for. The Ariya is the perfect vehicle for the perfect time in Europe. And the broader need to bring customers to zero-emission vehicles is where our focus is.

Whilst a larger still SUV is being planned:



Nissan Europe’s EV boss, Helen Perry, hinted at the large SUV, saying: “The platform will be used for other cars in the future. The C-SUV and D-SUV segments are due to grow about 300% over the next three years, so we will look to use the platform in growth segments in the next few years.”

Nissan has pledged that 50% of its line-up by 2023 will be electrified, but Perry wouldn’t divulge if the next EV will arrive by that date.