Before we cover the crash test results, here’s a little crash course on the Nissan Ariya, the firm’s upcoming electric crossover.
The Nissan Ariya, is expected to make landfall soon across markets around the world. The Ariya will be the marque’s foremost electric vehicle this year. It features a multitude of Nissan’s signature technology such as e-4ORCE which consists of a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system that the firm claims will deliver “pure excitement.” The Ariya will be the Japanese firm’s attempt at setting the bar for electric crossovers.
Powertrain options range from a 63 kWh single battery setup or an 87 kWh battery that has the option of either single-motor, dual motor, or an e-4ORCE Performance version. The range-topper, the e-4ORCE Performance version will have a powertrain that delivers roughly 294 kW and 600 N.m to all four wheels. Like most EVs, the Ariya will be a little heavier than an equivalently-sized internal combustion engined vehicle, weighing in between 1800 kg and 2300 kg.
Specs aside, the current trajectory of the automotive market is to go electric and improve safety, the latter has been heavily stressed by Nissan during the development cycle of the Ariya. A video published by the Nissan YouTube channel detailed the extensive testing process the car has been through. The Nissan evaluation group claims that over 400 crash tests were done and over 100 data points were assessed. The Safety Shield Concept, which is essentially a Nissan-specific approach to improve passenger protection and safety, was stressed by one of the members of the evaluation group.
The midsize EV crossover was subjected to multiple frontal, side, and rear collision tests. Tests simulating pedestrian incidents were also done. It was confirmed that the Ariya can absorb the impact of a range of collision scenarios. Staying true to the firm’s strive for excellence, the group tested the durability of the battery pack and confirmed that it would survive a frontal collision without further harm being done or potential leakage.
The Ariya will be available in markets across the globe from the middle of this yearand will likely be priced upwards of R500 000. No confirmation from Nissan has been made yet regarding the availability of the Ariya within the South Africa market.
