Nissan is making good on its promise of electrification. The Yokohama-based company has announced that it will only introduce electrified vehicles for the European market starting in 2023.
That’s a shorter timeline than expected, but it follows with Nissan’s plan to halt development of almost all combustion engines that was publicized in early February. Today, Nissan made it official, saying that will “end investment in new pure internal combustion engines for passenger vehicles” in a release. It also explains, to the chagrin of European enthusiasts, why the 2023 Nissan Z won’t be sold on that continent.
Nissan has been a leader in mass-market electric vehicles, starting with the 2011 Nissan Leaf. With the new push, it believes that by 2026 a full 75% of its lineup will be electrified as existing combustion-only models phased out. By the end of the decade, it expects 100% of its lineup to be electrified.
That doesn’t necessarily mean full battery-electric vehicles. Included in the mix are offerings like the Juke Hybrid, based on the second-generation that’s not sold in the U.S., as well as an X-Trail (Rogue) and Qashqai (Rogue Sport) with e-Power powertrain, in which the car is driven by the battery and a small combustion engine is only used to recharge the battery when needed.
Pure battery-powered vehicles include the Leaf, the Ariya crossover to be released in summer 2022, and the Townstar delivery van, a Ford Transit Connect-style vehicle based on the Renault Kangoo.
Nissan adds that they are manufacturing greenly as well, with batteries manufactured at their Sunderland, U.K. plant which is at least partially powered by renewable energy in the form of a solar farm.
Nissan has not made a similar plan for the U.S. market, where earlier reports say the company plans to develop existing combustion engines for U.S. market-specific models like the Frontier.
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