Nissan Ariya News

A self-charging Nissan Ariya concept has just been unveiled in the United Kingdom, with the in-built solar system capable of delivering up to 23km of range per day in ideal conditions.The car features a set of 3.8cm² solar photovoltaic panels on the bonnet, roof and tailgate, which converts sunlight into DC power. The panels were provided by a Dutch solar company called Lightyear, that worked on the first-ever solar-powered production car in 2019.Nissan said the technology can reduce charging frequency by up to 65 per cent.Solar technology allows for the car to be charged as it drives along, unlike conventional infrastructure. According to Nissan, a two-hour, 80km drive can produce 0.5kWh of charge, which adds up to nearly three kilometres of driving range.  Solar charging on cars poses practical challenges for manufacturers, needing to fit big enough panels to provide sufficient charge on a small surface area.Nissan notes the effectiveness of this solar charging is impacted by sun exposure available where the car is being driven.Dubai, for example, has high solar exposure, meaning the vehicle can generate an average of 21km of daily solar driving range, while in London that drops to 10km a day. Australia could benefit from solar charging, given its climate and the current electric vehicle charging infrastructure available. Australia has one of the highest solar exposure rates in the world, so it would offer some of the best conditions for this technology. It could ease the burden of EV charging infrastructure Down Under, with electric vehicles numbers ever-increasing, but chargers popping up at a slower rate. At this stage, Nissan’s new technology is only a concept, with just one example built so far. It also remains to be seen whether this type of charging can be offered at an affordable cost point and charge at a sufficiently effective rate. Other companies have been dabbling in solar charging cars in recent years.The Lightyear One was unveiled as the first-ever solar-powered car six years ago in the Netherlands, with its set-up offering 12km of range each hour in optimum conditions. The current Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid sold in the United States is available with an optional solar panel, which can add several kilometres of range each day. 

It may have only just arrived in Australia, but Nissan’s compact pure-electric Ariya crossover was unveiled globally way back in 2020 and ramped into full production in early 2021.

Although it’s only just arrived in Australia, Nissan will axe the Ariya electric SUV in the US.As reported by Automotive News, the Japanese carmaker will pause US-bound production of its Tesla Model Y rival for the 2026 model year.“This decision enables the company to reallocate resources and optimize its EV portfolio as the automotive landscape continues to evolve,” said Nissan in a statement to Automotive News.An unnamed person with knowledge of the decision told Automotive News the Trump administration’s 15 per cent import tariff has hurt the profitability of this Japanese-made electric vehicle (EV) in the US.Federal $7500 EV tax credits are also set to expire in the US at the end of September, with EV demand anticipated to fall after this.It hasn’t helped that US sales of the Ariya have been slow ever since its introduction in 2022. There have been plenty of price discounts and incentives to get buyers over the line.Nissan Senior Director for EV strategy and transformation Trisha Jung told Automotive News the US market is currently undergoing a shift.“When you look at what’s going on between incentives and the value that the vehicle is bringing brandwise, and economically long term, the fact is has a different valuation today than it did before,” said Jung to Automotive News.“We have a major shift in the demand curve, so we’ve got to understand what that means in terms of customer demand, volume, price point.“We just need to make sure we have a setup that’s sustainable for the company, the dealers and the consumer.”At this stage it’s unclear whether the Ariya will ever return to the US market.However, Nissan could reportedly be pausing Ariya sales to redirect resources for the launch of the forthcoming, new-generation Leaf electric crossover. It’s due to launch in the US later this year.Battery shortages could limit supply of the new, Japanese-made Leaf for the US. An unnamed person told Automotive News that initial allocation for the US will be limited to 500 units per month.As noted above, the Nissan Ariya is only launching in Australia now despite being offered in other markets for three years. It was originally revealed in 2020.There are four variants on offer with pricing starting from $55,840 before on-roads and extending to $71,840 before on-roads.At this stage the new-generation Leaf is set to launch locally in the Japanese 2026 financial year (April 2026 to March 2027).

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