Infiniti makes electric the design essence for its fourth decadeInfiniti makes electric the design essence for its fourth decade

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, is on the verge of its 30th birthday and already in the midst of what sounds like serious midlife crisis territory. 
For one, it’s giving up on Western Europe and Australia, among other markets, and focusing in on the U.S.—where it originally launched, in 1989—and China, where the brand sees major growth potential.
Secondly, all of its vehicles are going to dump the big internal-combustion engine under the hood by the middle of this next decade, leaving fully electric or gasoline-generated, series-hybrid versions of all its vehicles instead.
And thirdly, because of that, all of its vehicles will soon take on an entirely different design approach that takes advantage of that layout—and the completely new platform underpinning these models.
Infiniti QX Inspiration concept – on exhibit October 2019Infiniti QX Inspiration concept – on exhibit October 2019Infiniti QS Inspiration concept – on exhibit October 2019
The brand doesn’t yet have a name for its platform or for its power system—called e-Power by Nissan—but in an event for the press this past week, Infiniti mapped out a little bit more of this future. 
Infiniti claims that it’s paid tremendous attention to noise and vibration in its gas-generated models, equipped with a small 1.5-liter turbo-3 version of Infiniti’s VC-Turbo (variable compression) engine, and it wants its cars to be quiet and engaging. 
In those cars, there will be no physical connection from the engine to the wheels; the VC engine will run only as an onboard generator, with battery packs of about 3 to 5 kwh acting as a buffer to power dual-motor propulsion systems rating up to 429 hp.
Future Intiniti models will adopt a “powerful serenity” theme, in combination with the Japanese spatial concept of “Ma,” meaning “an emptiness full of possibilities, potential and anticipation.” Each of these completely new vehicles on the new platform will continue to aim for an engaging driving experience while cosseting passengers, emphasized the brand’s global design chief Taisuke Nakamura to Green Car Reports, but it will enable the Infiniti to reconcile the push-pull between performance-car proportions and a spacious interior—potentially allowing them both. 
The platform was designed specifically for fully electric vehicles or e-Power, said Nakamura, with no accommodation for a larger internal combustion engine, so that frees up more passenger space. The space in which the generating ICE fits is “very, very small,” he said—and obviously there are no driveshafts from the engine bay to the rear wheels. 
The piano-key theme that the concepts have showcased is modeled after a creased kimono, he said. Production models will soon be getting a lot more textures and designs, as hinted in these concepts—and the team behind these concepts has aimed to mesh Japanese design with global materials.
Rather than placing the “gravity” around a long hood or swept-back stance, it’s around the floor of the vehicle, explained Nakamura, and the “thick shoulder” bulge along the vehicles’ sides. 
Infiniti QX Inspiration concept – 2019 Detroit auto show
The QX Inspiration concept features a “living room” design that’s a little more aimed toward those who might have others do the driving, whereas the QS is more focused toward those who want to enjoy the drive themselves. 
Nakamura also confirmed that the infotainment system, as featured in the QX Inspiration (with, if you include the steering-wheel screen and rearview monitors, 7 screens!), is nearly the same in architecture and layout as for the one headed to these future production EVs and hybrids—but he says that Infiniti is still looking closely at how the screen in front of the passenger will interface with the driver-controlled screens. 
Infiniti QX Inspiration concept – 2019 Detroit auto showInfiniti QX Inspiration concept – 2019 Detroit auto showInfiniti QX Inspiration concept – 2019 Detroit auto show
The brand aims to phase out non-electrified models by 2025. And according to Tim Franklin, Infiniti’s director of product planning, there might be about an even split between fully electric and its series hybrids at that time, by sales volume. 
But it has a lot of flexibility—depending on uncertain regulation in the U.S., or depending on which body styles go big in which markets. 
“This is exactly the beauty of our strategy,” said Eric Rigaux, Infiniti’s global manager for product strategy and planning. “The same platform can be either EV or e-Power, so no more looking at ICE platforms…we’re looking at EV platforms, and even a given vehicle could be EV for a certain market and e-Power for another one.”
To passers-by, it will all have the same appearance and physical beauty, too (they are indeed attractive designs up close).
True to form for a midlife crisis, Infiniti has bet the farm on a future that’s radically different and upends nearly everything at once. Given these intriguing designs, perhaps the brand can rekindle some of its old magic on a new path.
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Infiniti provided Internet Brands Automotive accommodations, transportation, and even a charter flight out to Spaceport America to facilitate this report.  

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