The Nissan Ariya electric SUV is now on sale in New Zealand with pricing for the local line-up having been confirmed.
The sleek looking five-seater SUV was supposed to have arrived here some time ago, but Nissan NZ put off the launch due to the volatility in the EV market place. But things have changed.
As Nissan NZ’s Country Manager, Jenni Martin, told us at a media get-together, the launch of Ariya is a statement of the brand’s confidence in not just the product but also the local market. She says the launch of Ariya signals Nissan’s commitment to New Zealand.
With Leaf on its last legs, though selling well thanks to drastically reduced pricing, the Ariya will help Nissan NZ manage the rigours of the Clean Car Standard.
As the NZTA website puts it, “The Clean Car Standard aims to encourage a greater supply of low and no emission vehicle imports to New Zealand by charging importers for vehicles with high CO2 emissions and giving credits for vehicles with low CO2 emissions.” So selling a few Ariyas will help offset the sales of higher emitters like Navara.
There will be three model grades offered, starting with Engage. This is a single-motor variant with 160kW and 300Nm, and a 63kWh battery (range of 398km stated). The Engage has an RRP of $76,990, but wait, because special launch pricing has the model listing for $59,990.
Next up is the Advance with the same powertrain but an ‘advanced’ specification and an RRP of $82,990. The special launch price is $69,990.
Top of the range is the Evolve which gets a larger 87kWh battery and a twin-motor set-up delivering 290kW and 600Nm. While the 160kW FWD model can attain 100km/h in 7.5sec, the AWD model gets there in 5.1sec and its range is stated at 497km. Pricing for the Evolve is set at $109,990 but the launch number is $89,990.
The special launch pricing is said to be good until the end of March next year.
During a comprehensive run down of the Ariya, Nissan told us the SUV is manufactured in its Tochigi plant in Yokohama. That’s the same place that they make the fabled GT-R. They say Ariya is the ‘most precise vehicle we make’ in terms of quality and attention to refinement. Case in point, the underbody panels, which assist in both lowering aeros and road noise, are held in place by 110 clips to ensure a tight fit. Inside you’ll find a premium ambience and plenty of space. There’s a flat floor in both the front and back as Nissan wanted to maximise the room in the cabin. In terms of charging, it has a max DC rate of 130kW and 22kW AC.
