The Nissan Ariya NISMO brings sportier performance and looks to the electric SUV’s arsenal
Nissan recently expanded their hardcore electric NISMO lineup with the Ariya NISMO being the second NISMO EV revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 in January. Now, the performance electric SUV has gone on sale in its home market of Japan with sales slated to commence in June.
The Nissan Ariya NISMO in true NISMO fashion gives the electric SUV an extra dose of performance while also looking the part. The range starts with the B6 e-4ORCE that is capable of 270 kW (367 hp) and 560 Nm, juiced by a 66-kWh battery pack. Above it is the B9 e-4ORCE, where the electric motors are juiced by a 91-kWh battery pack and which produces 320 kW (435 hp) and 600 Nm. For the former, two dual-motor AWD options are available.
There’s also some additional performance wizardry under the skin which includes enhancements to the chassis to better optimise front and rear suspension capabilities. In addition, the e-4ORCE powertrain has been souped up by NISMO to offer better traction on multiple surfaces. NISMO-specific brake pads round off the performance upgrades with better stopping power.
A NISMO performance model has to look the part and the Ariya NISMO ticks that box. Compared to the standard model, the front and rear bumpers are aggressive, it gets a boot lid spoiler and a racy set of 20-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin is dominated by a black shade, with red accents adding a nice shade of contrast. More importantly, the BOSE Premium Sound System allows you to produce a sound akin to a Formula E race car.
As things stand, it is very unlikely that Nissan will bring the Ariya NISMO to India considering we neither have a NISMO model on sale here nor an EV. Any hopes for that happening rely on whether the carmaker brings in the standard Ariya EV here which doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon.
