As Top Gear reports, Japanese automaker Nissan, which is one of the brands that first bet on electric cars, is planning to use its Nismo brand for electric versions of its upcoming all-electric models. Something unprecedented because until now Nismo has been reserved for sports cars, yes, but with a thermal engine.
Although the current Nissan Leaf has experienced some issues related to its battery, energy management system, and battery cooling, Nissan has already announced that 15 new all-electric models will be available by 2030. Furthermore, by that date, they will already have their first model with solid-state batteries, a technology in which they are investing remarkably and in which it seems to be more advanced than its competitors. However, they had not officially offered details about these 15 new electric car models that they are preparing.
Sports versions of Nissan electric cars will have the Nismo label
At the Formula E Monaco race, Top Gear had an exclusive interview with Guillaume Cartier, President of Nissan Europe. And in this interview, Nissan’s European manager noted that the Japanese automaker is already considering which of its future electric cars should carry the Nismo badge. According to the manager, “Nismo is a Nissan asset that there is an intention to revitalize”, so the brand intends to make Nismo sports versions of some of its future electric cars.
Regarding these Nismo electric cars, although at the moment Nissan has not given details about what models they could be, they have detailed that the Nismo should have its suspension and a specific drivetrain. That is, there will be technical differences between a version of Nismo, with an obvious sporty bent, and a regular version of an electric car from Nissan. It will not be something that focuses exclusively on the aesthetic section, as some other electric vehicle manufacturers have done to date.
What they have not given any information of any kind is about when the first electric car that has a Nismo version will arrive. At the moment the Japanese brand is officially working on sports versions, and these sports versions will officially continue to be commissioned by Nismo. Now, it seems that they want to take it easy to see how the market evolves and, above all, design a solid strategy for their sports car division.
And there is another very important detail about which we do not have information yet: will there be exclusive Nismo electric cars? Manufacturers like BMW, for example, have already opted to make at least one specific and exclusive first model for their sports car division. So it will be necessary to see in the future if Nissan takes a similar position that, almost certainly, will depend on the success that these sports versions signed by Nismo have in the market.
