Failing car giant moves to undercut Tesla
Nissan has finally confirmed Australian details for its long-awaited Ariya electric car.
Landing in showrooms six years after it was unveiled in concept form and more than three years after going on sale in Europe, the Ariya’s debut was delayed by government red tape surrounding Australian Design Rules that require a unique “top tether” anchor point for child seats.
Its arrival has been timed to help soften the blow of new emissions laws that punish popular – but thirsty – cars such as the Nissan Patrol.
The brand’s long-awaited alternative to the Tesla Model Y shapes up as a family-friendly SUV of a similar size to the Volkswagen ID. 4 and BYD Sealion 7.
Set to arrive in September, the Ariya has sharp prices that undercut some rivals.
Priced from $60,595 drive-away, the entry-level Nissan Ariya Engage undercuts the cheapest Tesla Model Y by about $3500.
Nissan’s 12.3-inch digital dash and 12.3-inch infotainment screen are great to have, as is the brand’s “ProPilot” suite of driver assistance features that can handle stop-start traffic jams.
But a closer look at the Nissan’s spec sheet shows where the brand has cut corners.
Equipped with a front-mounted motor as standard, basic front-wheel-drive versions of the car have 160kW of power and need 8.0 seconds to reach 100km/h, making them significantly slower than a rear-wheel-drive Tesla, which needs 5.9 seconds to reach the same mark.
The Ariya’s 385km claimed range also lags behind the Tesla’s 466km.
And the basic Ariya promises to be a cold place on winter mornings.
Most electric cars have heated seats as standard – the cheapest Tesla Model Y has them in the front and rear – as EV cabins can take longer to warm up without a hot combustion engine under the bonnet.
Nissan customers who want heated seats in the front and rear need to upgrade to the Ariya Advance + for $68,995 drive-away.
The model also benefits from a larger battery with 504km of claimed range, plus a 10.8-inch head-up display, panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats and a power sliding centre console.
At the top of the range, the all-wheel-drive Nissan Ariya e-4orce adds a rear-mounted electric motor to effectively double its power output, resulting in a 0-100km/h time slashed to 5.6 seconds.
It also has Nappa leather, 20-inch wheels and upgraded towing capacity to help justify an asking price of about $77,395 drive-away.
The brand has not confirmed an Australian debut for the sportier Ariya Nismo model.
Nissan’s key advantage over the likes of Tesla is a 10-year warranty that applies to models serviced throughout its considerable dealer network.
Customers who service their cars externally get a five-year guarantee.
Warwick Daly, deputy director of marketing and mobility, Nissan Australia, said it is “exciting to see Nissan’s long history in the Australian electric vehicle space continue in the Ariya, which pairs incredible design, a clever and spacious interior, intelligent driving systems with advanced battery and motor technology to deliver a truly thrilling drive”.
“Understandably, a lot of people have been waiting for the Ariya to arrive in Australia, and I’m so excited that customers can now place orders,” he said.
The Ariya is a vital part of the strained Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance.
It shares underpinnings with the Renault Megane E-Tech, as well as Renault’s upcoming Alpine A390.