Almost all automakers promise some form of electrification in the future.  Let’s see what the Nissan EV lineup brings to the table.

Nissan made a name for itself in the electric vehicle market with the Leaf. This little hatchback has been the most popular and successful electric vehicle in the world. Although the Leaf doesn’t have the driving range of the Bolt or the luxury elements of a Tesla, it has been the leading EV and the cornerstone model of an entire movement toward electric driving.

What Does Nissan Plan for the Future?

Similar to other automakers, we expect a large selection of Nissan electric vehicles in the market over the next few years. Nissan intends to have 20 models over the next four years, 15 of which will be fully electric. By the end of the decade, both the Nissan and Infiniti brands will see all-new models, with most being electric. By 2030, there will be at least 23 new models offered from these two brands. This is a pretty extensive and significant plan going into the future.

Nissan Has Some Fun Names for its EV Concepts

When making something new, why not offer some fun and funky names that make people think of relaxing and hanging out? In fact, that’s most of the name of one of the new concepts of these electric vehicles from Nissan. Currently, we know of three concepts that carry these cool names. These are the Chill-Out, Hang-Out, and Max-Out. Although these new models probably won’t go into production with these names, they could, and that would be something exciting. Even so, we have an idea of what some of these new models are and which vehicles they might replace.

Chill-Out, a New Leaf is Coming

If you were less than impressed with the second-generation Nissan Leaf arrived, as most of us were, you can think of that model as a placeholder. It seems like the brand focused more on technology and less on the driving range. They picked the wrong race because the driving range race is where most EV drivers focus. Even so, a new Leaf could be a subcompact crossover SUV that sits below the new Ariya. This new model is currently the Chill-Out concept using the same CMF-EV architecture as the Ariya.

If this new vehicle is the replacement for the Leaf, that will allow the small hatchback to turn into a taller SUV that’s much more useful. Hopefully, the Chill-Out will deliver a driving range that’s actually competitive with the other EVs in the market.

Could a New Electric Truck Wear the Nissan Name?

Will one of the new Nissan EV models be a pickup truck? It certainly looks that way. We aren’t sure if this new truck will be a replacement for the outgoing Titan or if it will complement the Frontier. We know the Titan will be gone once the production run is over, but that doesn’t stop the new Surf-Out concept from being a full-size replacement.

The Surf-Out model shows up in its concept form as a two-door regular cab truck with digital panels in the front and rear to give owners a way to share messages with those around them. With this truck, you could display a message to those around you on the beach, offering the laid-back and relaxed feeling you want to share. The front panel of the Surf-Out is translucent, giving you that view you’ve never had. You’ll see from the cab all the way to the nose of the truck.

Lithium-Ion Should be Replaced by Solid-State Batteries Eventually

Many automakers are working on solid-state batteries. This technology is the future of electric vehicles, offering greater driving ranges and shorter charging times. Currently, the Nissan EV concepts show packaging with solid-state batteries that aren’t a reality yet. Until these batteries are part of the market, we can only hope that Nissan will rely on the lithium-ion technology that’s been successful in EVs to date. That said, the new 2023 Nissan Ariya will use the traditional batteries, is ready to launch, and give us a new EV to enjoy.

What Does the 2023 Nissan Ariya Offer?

Nissan created the Ariya to be the first electric vehicle from the brand that isn’t the Leaf. That said, they got pretty excited and created nine different versions of this new electric SUV. The goal is for this new model to be an entry into the EV world for the brand, giving new owners a great way to enjoy the drive, range, and performance offered in an SUV powered by electricity. The Ariya delivers a 5-passenger layout and is offered with either FWD or AWD with a choice of two battery packs.

Since We’re Talking Power, Let’s See What’s Offered

The first package of Nissan Ariya models offered brings an 87-kWh lithium-ion battery pack to drive either a single or dual-motor electric powertrain. The FWD version of the Venture+ model provides 238 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque, and 300 miles of electric driving range. The Evolve+ and Premiere FWD models have the same power output, but the added features drop the driving range to 285 miles.

The only dual-motor version that’s set for early reservations in the Platinum+ e4orce AWD model. This SUV brings 389 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, the driving range is reduced to 265 miles in this version.
The standard battery of the non-reservation models is 63-Kw battery pack, which means the driving range will be less than that for the reservation models.

Will You Look to Nissan for an EV?

Even though the Nissan Leaf proved itself as an impressive electric vehicle for many years, the current range numbers of the Ariya are worrisome. More and more, new EVs bring 300 miles or more of driving range. This is the maximum number for this new electric SUV. If Nissan intends to compete in this market, they will need to focus on improving the driving range, which could be fixed with new solid-state batteries when they become a reality.