Spied under cover on a transporter here last August, the Nissan Ariya has now been seen on the road, with reader Silver Low sighting the all-electric SUV in Damansara Uptown earlier this evening. The Akatsuki Copper coloured example is likely the same vehicle from last year, and that vehicle registration plate isn’t all that subtle, with Tan Chong pasted all over it.
The Ariya’s introduction in Malaysia was hinted back in February last year, when the vehicle made an appearance in Malaysian Nissan distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s CNY greeting video. Might we expect a market introduction sometime soon, now that we’re a year in? Measuring 4,595 mm long x 1,850 mm wide x 1,655 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,775 mm, the Ariya is a little shorter and lower than the X-Trail, but a bit wider and with a longer wheelbase.
It remains to be seen which variant we will be getting. The EV is available in both 2WD and dual-motor AWD versions, each with different lithium-ion battery options. There’s a 66 kWh pack as well as a larger capacity 91 kWh pack . As mentioned previously, the 2WD versions are very much focused on economy and maximising range, with the 91 kWh 2WD variant having the longest range, with up to 610 km of travel on a single charge. Its electric motor is also a bit more powerful, rated at 178 kW compared to 160 kW on the 2WD 66 kWh variant. As for the AWD versions, the 66 kWh-equipped variant offers up to 430 km of travel, while the 91 kWh can manage up to 580 km.