Nissan’s first all-electric crossover, The Ariya, reimagines electric driving

From Nissan Press Release

Ariya marks a new chapter for Nissan in its electric-driving evolution eel. Engineered to inspire the transition to zero-emissions driving, Ariya delivers the ultimate electric driving experience, ergonomically designed for comfort. Drawing on Nissan's leadership in electrification and segment-defining crossover capabilities, the Nissan Ariya seamlessly delivers advanced driving capabilities and a premium EV experience. 

“We created Ariya for customers wanting an elevated electric vehicle that fits seamlessly into their lifestyles,” said Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice President, Region Marketing & Sales, Nissan AMIEO. “During the design process, it was integral that we put the customers at the forefront of every decision, such as including a power sliding centre console, increased leg room and a dual-screen display. The result is a fantastic EV that marks a new chapter for Nissan as we pave the way toward the future of electric vehicles.”

EV Driving: Smooth, Responsive and Balanced
The Ariya’s all-electric platform combines excellent power delivery, charging capabilities and range, with a carefully tuned balance between ride, comfort and handling agility. Available in just two grades Advance and Evolve but in three different battery and powertrain combinations in the 2WD 63kWh, 2WD 87kWh, and e-4ORCE AWD 87kWh; with a range of up to 329 miles, Ariya can confidently meet a variety of customer needs.

Staying true to Nissan's heritage of fun-to-drive exciting vehicles, the Ariya is built on the all-new Alliance CMF-EV platform that’s optimised to deliver unparalleled performance. Thanks to the 100% electric powertrain, Ariya offers instant torque and powerful acceleration to deliver a smooth, quiet and responsive driving experience. Nissan ensured the EV drivetrain in the Ariya was not only very quiet but that no noise was more dominant than another at speed, resulting in a uniformly quiet and relaxing cabin – even in the rear seats, an area where many vehicles exhibit less noise abatement.  

Boasting excellent range recovery and quick-charge performance, the Ariya 87kWh can recover up to 217 miles with a 30-minute quick charge using a CCS charging system. The battery pack sits at the base of the chassis to ensure 50/50 weight distribution on the e-4ORCE version and near-equal weight distribution on the 2WD versions. During its development, engineers placed great emphasis on striking the ideal balance between handling agility, secure feeling and ride comfort, something not all EV rivals are known for.

Particular attention has been paid to ensure European consumers’ desire for responsive steering, high manoeuvrability and the need for additional stability at higher speeds were met. Led by the technical team in Cranfield UK, damping forces were increased to improve body control, spring rates were adjusted and retuned steering feedback to increase on-centre definition at higher speeds.

A New Design Language: Timeless Japanese Futurism
Incorporating Nissan's Japanese DNA, Ariya's striking exterior and interior reimagines EV potential by embodying Nissan’s Timeless Japanese Futurism philosophy of powerful design that fuses aesthetics with functionality while creating an upscale, open atmosphere.

The all-new EV platform and compact nature of powertrain components made it possible for Nissan to position Ariya’s climate-control system under the hood. This allowed designers to use the whole length of the cabin and create a flat, open floor with a lounge-like space inspired by premium futurism. With sophistication and comfort at the forefront of the design, Ariya’s interior provides abundant space from a segment above for all passengers, with the most cabin volume in its segment. From the Zero Gravity ventilated seats and exemplary legroom to the panoramic openable sunroof and power-adjustable centre console, the design of the Ariya redefines the conception that comfort and class in vehicles is mutually exclusive.

Customer Centric: Technologies and Solutions
With the inclusion of the latest advanced technologies, Ariya provides a driver-friendly experience centred on the user, not the machine. Engineers adopted customer feedback from LEAF, for example, to elevate their latest fully electric model to maximise storage space and overall functionality.  

The seats, steering wheel and power-sliding centre console are all adjustable based on the driver’s preference. They can be saved in the memory profiles for ease of use, a convenience for multiple drivers. The adjustable console in particular sets the Ariya apart, giving drivers the option to slide the unit to create an adaptable armrest and additional space. It also suits ergonomic preferences around the position of the console-mounted gear selector and nearby controls. Customer feedback from the LEAF drove the inclusion of extra space for charging cables; Ariya also offers reconfigurable dividers in the boot for increased functionality.

The monolith display in the Ariya comprises two 12.3” screens to ensure important vehicle information – such as battery charge, range and navigation – can be easily accessible. By displaying multiple facets of information on one horizontal plane, oriented in a wave-like shape, information can be quickly digested whilst minimising driver distraction. Ariya is also equipped with a head up display showing practical information to the driver in a safe way.

Haptic controls have been integrated into the Ariya’s minimalist dashboard to communicate touchpoints with feedback, whilst several principal controls – the volume knob and key steering-wheel buttons, for example – remain physical. The dashboard, which blends seamlessly with the shape of the cabin, cleanly integrates these touchpoints into the sleek feel of the Ariya, with a new shifter that fits in the driver’s palm to encourage a relaxed driving position.

Intelligent Integration: Connected Services and Driving Technologies
Embodying Nissan’s philosophy of designing vehicles around the driver, the Ariya is equipped with Nissan’s intelligent personal assistance technology, which feature a hybrid voice recognition system with advanced natural-language comprehension to deliver touchless in-vehicle assistance.
Intelligent Route Planner calculates the best route based on various real-time factors such as traffic, road conditions, real-time charging station availability and remaining battery. NissanConnect Services App which has the capability to lock/unlock doors remotely. Coupled with Amazon Alexa, the systems work perfectly together to create a tailored user experience. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto are also available.

Safety Features & Driver Assistance
The Nissan Ariya has been equipped with the latest safety and driver-assist technologies, including ProPILOT with Navi link, the most innovative iteration of Nissan's advance driver-assistance system in Europe to date. Equipped with wide-ranging safety features, Ariya was designed with safety in mind. Featuring Nissan Safety Shield 360, the vehicle is available with Intelligent Around View Monitor, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Emergency Lane Keeping, Intelligent Emergency Braking and Rear Automatic Emergency Braking technology.

Grade and Pricing
The extensive list of technical and safety features come as standard on all grades. The ‘Advance’ grade includes ProPILOT with Navi-Link, Intelligent Driver Alertness and Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Jam Pilot, Blind Spot Intervention, Intelligent Cruise Control, Full Auto Park, Apple Car Play and 360 degree Around View Monitor. There are also plenty of options to enhance the Advance, including the Bose Tech Pack or the Sky Pack.

The higher spec ‘Evolve’ grade adds innovative features such as Pro-Pilot Park, Windscreen Heads-up Display, a 10 Bose speaker system, Electric Panoramic Sunroof, power moving centre console, and black upholstery with synthetic leather seats and Ultrasuede® inserts.

Pricing for the 63kWh battery version with 160kW of power and an onboard 7.4kW AC Charger starts at £43,845 for the Advance and £47,840 for the Evolve.

For the larger 87kW battery with up to 329 miles of range, 178Kw of power and a more powerful onboard 22kW AC charger, the Advance is priced at £49,595 with Evolve at £53,590.

For the customer looking for all-wheel drive and greater performance, then the e-4ORCE version has a 47kW increase in power to 225kW and doubles the amount of torque to 600Nm. It is priced from £52,295 for the Advance grade or £56,290 for the Evolve.  

All Ariya derivatives will be available to order in the UK from July 5th; for more details, please visit your local Nissan dealer.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

To learn more about Nissan’s line-up of electrified models on Nissan Europe consumer sites, visit www.nissan-europe.com.