Nissan Launches CHAdeMO-less Ariya eSUV

In a press release earlier this week Nissan announced that it had:

Revealed to the world the all-new Nissan Ariya electric coupé crossover, marking a new chapter for Nissan electric vehicles. The EV premiered globally through a virtual event hosted at the soon-to-open Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama.

The Ariya – Nissan’s first all-electric coupé crossover– offers powerful acceleration and smooth, quiet operation, as well as an interior with a welcoming, luxurious lounge-like atmosphere. Its stress-free autonomous driving features, voice personal assistance and seamless connectivity heighten on-road confidence and provides a welcoming environment for the driver and passengers. And with an estimated range of up to 500 kilometers (based on WLTP combined cycle, subject to homologation), Ariya is the perfect partner for daily commutes and road trips alike.

The Nissan Ariya is heavily based on the similarly-named concept vehicle displayed at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and first hinted at with the IMx at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. It’s the first production model to represent Nissan’s new electrified brand identity, forging a path toward a new automotive era where electrification, optimized platform packaging and seamless vehicle AI technology will become standard.

A bit of a change from the venerable LEAF then, with a dual motor 4 wheel drive option accompanying the “new electrified brand identity”, which does reduce the range somewhat:

As you can see from Nissan’s Ariya infographic, the LEAF’s dual AC/DC charging connector has moved from front and centre to the nearside front wing. Nissan haven’t provided an image of what’s hiding under the cover, but the press release does mention in passing that:

While every Ariya version will feature impressive driving range in its segment, it also boasts remarkable range recovery and quick-charge performance using Combined Charging System (CCS) in Europe. This is thanks in part to its battery thermal control feature, which constantly optimizes the operating temperature of the liquid-cooled battery.

The Nissan Ariya 63kWh versions carry a 7.4 kW charger for domestic use, while the 87kWh include a 22kW 3 phase charger for home charging. The Ariya can also support quick charging up to 130kW for peace of mind during long journeys.


In Europe the Ariya is following in the footsteps of the Kia Soul by dropping Nissan’s traditional CHAdeMO DC quick charging system in favour of CCS. Perhaps the “plug wars” are over, in Europe at least? However the Ariya press release makes no mention of discharging those hefty battery packs back to the home or distribution grid. Which prompts us to rephrase our perennial question once again:

The $64,000 question at this juncture is therefore “Will Nissan be demonstrating V2G over CCS some time soon?”

P.S. Here is the inimitable Robert Llewellyn’s initial review of the new Nissan Ariya for his Fully Charged Show:

It includes this informative infographic:

Bobby mentions that “the other good thing it does is over the air updates” at that juncture, but sadly doesn’t address our vehicle-to-grid $64,000 question.

Watch this space!

4 thoughts on “Nissan Launches CHAdeMO-less Ariya eSUV

  1. Nissan UK have just issued another press release about the Ariya. It doesn’t include any new information on the V2x front:

    Nissan Ariya has made its first public appearance, fittingly undertaking its debut drive around the iconic Circuit de Monaco in the glamourous French Riviera.

    The all-electric coupé crossover’s sleek and seamless design was perfectly complemented by the stylish Monaco backdrop, as Ariya completed laps of the famous street circuit which has hosted Nissan’s latest electrifying journey in Formula E…

    Combining powerful performance, connected technologies and a revolutionary new EV design, the Ariya all-electric coupé crossover is the icon of Nissan’s innovative and electric future. Featuring advanced connectivity, technology, a competitive range of battery capacities and the unique e-4ORCE drivetrain, Ariya is designed to enrich people’s lives through a seamless, intuitive and adaptive experience.

    Nissan’s electrification strategy draws on over a decade of EV expertise and transferring knowledge and technology between the racetrack and road, providing the best possible electric vehicle offering for customers…

    This season, the Nissan Formula E team is strongly connecting its competitiveness to its production EVs. New for the 2020/2021 season, the team has named car No. 22 after Nissan’s all-electric LEAF road car and car No. 23 after the Nissan Ariya all-electric crossover SUV.

    Consumers can register here and join the 34,000 people who have already shared their interest in Ariya.

    However it does include a nice picture of an Ariya in Monaco

  2. According to Bloomberg Hyperdrive:

    Nissan Motor Co. is pushing back the release of its flagship Ariya electric vehicle, highlighting the struggle automakers everywhere are facing in trying to launch new cars amid a persisting shortage of semiconductors.

    When the Ariya SUV was first unveiled in July last year, Nissan said it was scheduled to go on sale in mid-2021. On Friday, the company said a limited-edition model will be available in Japan “this winter” followed by a wider domestic and global roll-out.

    “One year ago, we made our announcement we were targeting the middle of this year, but after that, Covid-19 has lingered longer than we expected and there is the issue of semiconductor shortages,” Nissan Executive Vice President Asako Hoshino said during a briefing.

    The struggle to roll out new models amid a global shortage of automotive chips is one that automakers worldwide are facing. But the need for a smooth roll-out of the Ariya is particularly acute for Nissan. Analysts have highlighted the model as key to the Japanese car company’s performance going forward, and Nissan itself touts the model as its flagship vehicle, embodying its decades-long reputation for churning out high-tech autos.

    • Sorry Tim,

      Your (brief!) message was somehow missed in amongst all the “spam” we receive on a daily basis.

      Yes indeed! I couldn’t make Fully Charged Outside in person this year, but according to an (apparently sponsored) article in What Car:

      The real attention-grabber on Nissan’s stand was undoubtedly the all-new Nissan ARIYA. Its sleek coupé crossover profile and thin LED headlights drew the crowd, but the biggest talking point was the ARIYA’s impressively spacious, stylish and high-tech interior…

      Nissan has already started work on pioneering cost-effective Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) charging through Nissan Energy Services partners EON and EDF. Now, it’s rethinking the future of carbon neutral electric car manufacturing, with EV36Zero – a flagship facility, centred on the world-beating Nissan Sunderland plant, that sets a blueprint for the future of the automotive industry with its 9GWh battery Gigafactory, powered by a 100% renewable energy through a 132MW wind and solar microgrid.

      Unfortunately that doesn’t actually answer your implied question!

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