Nissan unveiled their new Ariya electric vehicle (EV) in July 2020, their first EV since introducing the Leaf EV ten years ago.
The Japanese automaker was hoping to bring the Ariya to their home country by mid-2021, followed by North America, China, and Europe later in the year. That timeline has now been delayed due to the ongoing global chip shortage.
In an official announcement, Nissan is now expecting the Ariya to debut in Japan “this winter.” No new dates were given for other markets.
“We have been facing various industry challenges, including semiconductor shortage, and our priority is to ensure that we deliver the highly advanced all-new model […] to customers with the highest level of quality and care. And to make sure that those things are done, we have delayed the sales in our area,” a Nissan spokesperson said.
When it does arrive, the Ariya will be equipped with either a 63kWh (out of 65kWh) or 87kWh (out of 90kWh) battery pack. The EV doesn’t have an officially approved range estimate yet, but Nissan is aiming for 300 miles (482km) on a single charge for the larger battery in the front-wheel drive (FWD) model.
Unlike the Leaf, which is known for battery issues due to its air-cooled system, the Ariya will feature a liquid-cooled battery design with a new thermal management system. This will extend battery life and help reduce charging time.
Pricing for North America has not been announced.
You can learn more about the Ariya here.
