It could be said that Nissan is one of the brands that helped pave the way for electrification in the Philippines. It started with the Leaf in 2019 and has since been followed up by the popular Kicks e-Power.
As it stands, those are the only electrified models from Nissan Philippines. However, at the 2024 Manila International Auto Show, the brand brought in a model that might be of interest.
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That model is the Nissan Ariya, and it’s here as a technical showcase of the automaker’s knowhow in electric vehicles. It’s not confirmed for local release yet, but Nissan says it will depend on the reaction of showgoers.
Introduced as a concept in 2019, the production model made its premiere in 2020 but was hit by the pandemic and the global semiconductor shortage. Now that the market has stabilized, the Ariya has established itself in the EV market.
The Nissan Ariya’s futuristic design follows a coupe-like silhouette that makes the most of aerodynamics. Inside, the theme continues with large screens and haptic touch panels on board. It also comes with a voice recognition system, Amazon Alexa, an Intelligent Route Planner, and the NissanConnect smartphone app.
It’s unknown what spec of the Ariya that Nissan Philippines brought in. Either way, it’s available in front or all-wheel drive guises with 65kWh or 90kWh battery capacities. Horsepower ranges from 218hp to 380hp, while torque is from 300Nm to 600Nm. With the 65kWh battery pack, it can travel up to 450km on a single change, while the 90kWh version bumps that up to 610km.
As mentioned, there’s no concrete plans for the Nissan Ariya in the Philippines just yet. That said, Nissan’s range of e-Power models could also be a viable option for the country. Either way, the brand is dead set on expanding its electrification efforts down the line.
