A new report out of the USA suggests that Nissan may be looking at a new compact bakkie that will slot in under its Frontier offering. The new product is understood to boast an electric platform to supplement the brand’s push towards an eco-friendly line-up.
Based on a report from Automotive News, the Japanese manufacturer wishes to merge its electric and bakkie portfolio by creating a compact light weight electric product for lifestyle-minded consumers in the USA.
This new compact bakkie would slot in directly under the Navara and likely compete with the recently revealed Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. This segment in the American market is a white space but forecasts from HIS Markit data suggest that by 2023, sales could grow to 99 000 units annually.
Judy Wheeler, Nissan division vice president of sales and regional operations in the USA, downplayed the speculation of an electric compact bakkie but did not rule the idea out. “There’s all kinds of things under discussion, I don’t know that there is any serious discussion there at this point.” She told the publication.
“I could see that coming,” Wheeler said of an all-electric powertrain for a bakkie. “The pick-up area is kind of interesting. There will be a consumer that’s looking more for a lifestyle vehicle that they can put all their gear in and go off-roading.”
Wheeler noted Nissan has been a pioneer in the electric vehicle space, launching the Leaf hatchback more than a decade ago. “We have this great base that we created with our consumers, our really strong dealer network that not only can sell [EVs], but also have a service network,” she said.
A compact bakkie would be a natural extension for Nissan, which introduced the segment to Americans, and the rest of the world, in the 1960s under the Datsun brand name.
