Because obviously.
Nissan may be riding on a high after launching its new Leaf electric hatchback, touted as the most popular mass-production EV in the world, but it has no intention of resting on its laurels and letting the industry push forwards on electric propulsion without them keeping up. The company’s European design chief, Mamoru Aoki, shed some light on what the company is planning next: An SUV.
Aoki spoke to UK publication Autocar at their design headquarters in London, throwing out important clues to the company’s next step towards cementing their dominance in the electric vehicle market.
“Of course, we have the new Leaf. But I think the [production-model of the] IMx concept will become a breakthrough model. The IMx is not just a concept car. In a few years, it will appear [as a production model].” — Mamoru Aoki, Executive Design Director, Nissan Europe
Like many designers, Aoki sees the potential of the EV platform as a way to maximise things that are important to customers, like interior space for both passengers and their luggage. Aoki also said that because of the SUV/crossover package, he and his team will be able to take advantage of the packaging opportunities afforded by the lack of the usual internal-combustion related mechanicals.
“The interior is notably bigger than a conventional vehicle, and there’s much more usable space, thanks to the totally-flat floor allowed by the [underfloor] battery pack. The dashboard is also pushed right back towards the windscreen, because the HVAC unit is under the bonnet.” — Mamoru Aoki, Executive Design Director, Nissan Europe
The cabin of the IMx’s production counterpart will also be ‘reinvented’ as it were, again capitalising on the opportunity to break away from traditional interior design limitations. In the IMx concept, Nissan used an alternation between wood laminate and translucent plastic, the latter capable of being backlit to improve the cabin ambiance.
In the same interview, Aoki said that the exterior of the IMx concept is a “clear indication” of the next-generation design language that the company will adopt, which throws a hint that the cabin may also follow in that direction (though the likelihood of that is less so than the exterior).
Aoki went on to say that the IMx is bereft of the “masculine look, or heavy appearance” of a conventional internal-combustion vehicle, thanks to being able to bin the big engine up front. He says that the exterior is “very Japanese in its details, expressive but with purity” and a feeling of luxury.
The Nissan Leaf was introduced in September last year, and is built on all-new architecture that will eventually be used in a wide variety of cars (including the IMx concept’s eventual production version). With up to 400km range achievable with a 40kWh battery, the “simply amazing” Leaf has been on sale since October in Japan, with American and European sales kicking off earlier this year. We should expect to see the car on Aussie shores by Q1 2019.
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