Nissan’s first all-electric SUV is promising impressive range

2022 Ariya is eyeing 300 miles / 482 km of driving range when it arrives in 2021

Nissan this week revealed preliminary details of the Ariya, a compact all-electric crossover SUV that will go on sale next year as the brand’s second-ever battery electric vehicle in North America.

The Ariya is part of Nissan’s plan to launch 10 new models in a 20-month period and to work toward 1 million annual global sales of electrified vehicles between its all-electric and e-Power hybrids (the latter of which are not yet available in North America).

New Ariya’s battery packs & expected range

Despite being among the first automakers to offer a mass-market electric vehicle in the Leaf hatchback, it has taken Nissan nearly a decade to mount its follow-up with the Ariya. This is no baby step, however. The Ariya promises up to 300 miles or 482 km from a single charge of its available 87 kWh battery pack.

2022 Nissan Ariya all electric suv
2022 Ariya EV. Photo: Nissan

By today’s standards, that would give it among the most generous driving range estimates of any entry- or mid-priced electric vehicle.

Related: Chat With Joni Paiva – President of Nissan Canada on Future Tech, Sustainability, and All-New LEAF

Nissan says it will also offer a smaller 63 kWh battery pack with about 200 miles or 320 km of driving range and more modest acceleration performance; in the U.S., that model will carry a starting price of about $40,000, with the larger battery and AWD being extra-cost options. Canadian pricing will be announced closer to the Ariya’s release date in 2021.

2022 Ariya interior & tech: what to expect inside

Among the Ariya’s useful tech features will be Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a voice command system programmed to recognize natural speech to operate the car’s secondary systems.

2022 Nissan Ariya interior
Sleek, modern design inside the new 2022 Ariya. Photo: Nissan

Those features will complement a cabin designed around what Nissan calls Timeless Japanese Futurism. The company says its designers took advantage of the Ariya’s flat load floor and “compact climate control components” to create a spacious, lounge-like feel for five people. The Ariya also uses Nissan’s zero-gravity seating technology to enhance comfort.

All Ariya trims will come standard with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of driver assists, including familiar items like pedestrian detection with front and rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert, and high beam assist. A ProPilot Assist 2.0 system will allow semi-autonomous highway driving, with Nissan’s e-Pedal providing one-pedal driving.

Release date and pricing

Ariya sales will begin in Japan in mid-2021, with its North American debut to follow later in the year. Again, expect a $40,000 starting MSRP; Canadian pricing to be announced closer to release date.

2022 Nissan Ariya photos

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Chris Chase
Chris Chasehttps://chrischasescars.com/
Chris has been writing professionally about cars since 2004, in print and online. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two feline tyrants. In rare quiet moments, he can be found travelling or playing one of his way-too-many guitars. Chris is also a journalist member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).