Report: Nissan planning small electric crossover below AriyaReport: Nissan planning small electric crossover below Ariya

Nissan may launch a small electric crossover slotting below the Ariya, Auto Express reported Thursday.
The new model would be similar in size to the current European-market Nissan Juke (the United States got the Nissan Kicks in place of the second-generation Juke), and would use a shortened version of the Ariya’s CMF-EV platform, according to the report.
The outlet’s conclusion that Nissan’s next EV after Ariya would be a small electric crossover appears to be largely based on comments that both the CMF-EV platform and e-4orce all-wheel drive system, set to debut in the Ariya, will also be used for other models.
Nissan wouldn’t invest in a new platform if it didn’t plan on using it for multiple models, Helen Perry, the automaker’s European EV boss, said in an interview with Auto Express last year.
Nissan Ariya
Indeed, the CMF-EV platform can vary in size and will be shared with Renault, Infiniti, and Mitsubishi. Some of those models will also include a range extender, potentially.
More recently, Nissan Europe head of product planning Nicolas Bozek told Auto Express that the e-4orce all-wheel drive system “will have a place down the road in other models,” and specifically mentioned a smaller crossover. The dual-motor e-4orce system is designed to benefit more than just performance and traction, aiming to help the body stay flatter in sharp transitions.
Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf has been continuing with no significant changes. Nissan says that the nameplate won’t go away—so that begs the question of whether it will attach the name to this small crossover or whether it might sell both.
The Nissan Ariya is finishing development ahead of an anticipated production start later this year. Nissan emphasized recently that it’s taking a regional approach in tuning the Ariya a bit differently for each market.

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