Nissan Globally Unveils Chill-Out Crossover SUV And Three Other EV Concepts

• Nissan aims for carbon-neutral car development and production by 2050

• To introduce more than 20 new EVs and hybrid cars globally by 2026 

• Future EVs to have solid-state batteries and dual-motor skateboard platform 

• India is not a part of the plans but could get some global EV models

Nissan has announced Ambition 2030, its global strategy for electrification, under which hybrids and fully electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to account for 50 percent of the carmaker’s global sales by 2030. Nissan unveiled a new concept electric crossover SUV, the Chill-Out, and three other EVs based on its future EV platform. 

Ambition 2030: Key Facts 

According to the strategy, Nissan says that half of its US, China, and Japan sales should be electrified vehicles by 2026. As many as three out of every four Nissans sold in Europe could be electric or hybrid vehicles by that year. 

By the end of the decade, the carmaker plans to introduce 23 electrified vehicles globally. Fifteen of these will be fully electric models, and the other eight could be hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles. 

The Ambition 2030 strategy also aims to scale up battery production to 52 gigawatts by 2026 and 130 gigawatts by the end of the decade. 

Nissan will expand the number of cars available with its ProPilot suite of driver assistance and active safety technologies over the coming years. By the fiscal year 2030, it aims to provide a LiDAR-based ProPilot system on “virtually every new model.”

New EV Platform Introduced

Nissan is working on novel solid-state electric batteries that could cut charging times by one-third. The first battery manufacturing facility will be set up in Yokohama, Japan, by 2024, and the first solid-state battery-powered EV will arrive in 2028. 

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These EVs will be underpinned by a new platform distinct from the Common Module Family (CMF) EV platform that Nissan shares with Renault. It has a skateboard-like design with an electric motor at each axle and boasts a low centre of gravity and lightweight construction. 

It’ll have an electrically operated all-wheel-drive system called e-4ORCE to distribute power between the front and rear wheels. In addition, it’ll readily integrate Nissan’s ProPilot suite of advanced driver assistance, active safety, and autonomous driving features. 

Concept Vehicles and Upcoming Nissan EVs 

The Chill-Out crossover SUV is based on Nissan’s current CMF-EV platform. It has a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system and outlandish lounge-like interiors and suicide doors. Inside, a wide panoramic touchscreen sits alone on the dashboard in the pictures, suggesting fully autonomous driving capability. Some reports indicate that the Chill-Out SUV likely previews the upcoming Nissan Leaf, a hatchback set to transition into a crossover in its next iteration. 

Apart from the crossover, Nissan also unveiled three concept vehicles based on its solid-state battery platform. The Max-Out is a lightweight convertible two-seater with a staggered seat layout. Its passenger seat can be folded away into the floor of the car if you need the additional luggage-carrying capacity. 

The Nissan Surf-Out concept is an off-roading pickup truck with a screen on the tailgate that displays cute messages while you drive around. It has a flat, low bed, single-cab layout, and futuristic full-width front LED lighting. The outlandish Surf-Out previews some of the tech we could see on future all-electric Nissan pickup trucks, such as power outlets for tools, a single panoramic infotainment/driver instrument panel, and an e-4ORCE AWD system that’s tuned for off-roading. 

A people carrier was also showcased, the Nissan Hang-Out concept MPV, with flexible seating and sliding front/rear doors. 

Currently, Nissan has the Leaf hatchback and upcoming Ariya SUV in its global EV lineup, alongside several e-Power hybrid electric vehicles.

Will India Get Nissan EVs? 

India wasn’t explicitly mentioned in Nissan’s Ambition 2030 announcement. The carmaker has a two-car lineup in our country, composed of the Magnite sub-4m SUV and the Kicks compact SUV. 

Given India’s nascent EV market, sparse public charging network, and prohibitive import rules, we aren’t likely to see all-electric Nissans anytime soon. The carmaker’s sights are set on markets such as Europe, the US, Japan, and China to achieve the goals outlined in the Ambition 2030 strategy. Depending on the local growth of the carmaker, India may receive select electrified (hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or even fully electric) models sometime in the future.