Nissan continues to shape the future of mobility at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show

Kunio Nakaguro, Nissan’s EVP for R&D and Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s SVP for Global Design presented the Ariya concept electric car during the Tokyo Motor Show

By launching two concept vehicles at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan continues to redefine how the future of mobility will be like under its Intelligent Mobility concepts as well as to pursue electrification with sights on artificial intelligence. Electrification is part of the three pillars of Nissan Intelligent Mobility—Intelligent Driving, Intelligent Power and Intelligent Integration—embracing all these attributes as it unveiled its two electric concept cars at the press day of the show.

During the press day last Oct. 23, Nissan unveiled its Ariya Concept and Nissan IMk Concept, two electric vehicles (EVs) that form the latest centerpieces of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, outlining the company’s vision for changing how vehicles are powered, driven and integrated into society. These two concept cars showed Nissan’s direction for its upcoming vehicle lineup and the several new possibilities for design and technology that a new EV platform allows.

The Nissan IMk: a zero-emission urban commuter

“These are transformational times for the auto industry, and a new era is opening up for Nissan,” said Kunio Nakaguro, Nissan’s EVP for Global R&D. “We have been among the fastest to develop EVs and highly intelligent driving assistance technologies, and, as shown by our two new concept vehicles, we intend to continue our role as a global pioneer.”

Nissan can rightfully claim its global pioneering status. The Nissan Leaf EV is the world’s best-selling EV, with close to half a million units sold and 12 billion kilometers accumulated mileage logged by Leaf owners. Aside from the two concept vehicles, Nissan also showcased its Nismo Leaf RC racecar alongside with its new Formula E car. Both the new Nissan Formula E and the gorgeous Nismo Leaf RC were also displayed at the Nissan booth. It produced its first electric vehicle called the Tama Electric Car in 1947 and was even used as taxis in Japan until the 1950s.

The Nismo Leaf RC is a visceral display of Nissan’s ambition to make electrified cars as mean as they are green.

The Ariya Concept showcases Nissan’s new design direction, called Timeless Japanese Futurism. According to Nissan, the new design language combines new possibilities incorporating the company’s 100 percent EV platform with traditional Japanese minimalist themes. “The Ariya Concept is born in a time of huge technological leaps from our engineers, making visible a blank canvas for design,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s SVP for Global Design. “We were able to look forward and back simultaneously, uncovering a new language for the Nissan brand that fuses high technology and the Japanese spirit, combining electric, autonomous and connected functions.”

The Nissan IMk concept on the other hand, offers advanced Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology and a powerful EV drivetrain in a compact, agile body. The IMk concept’s sleek appearance represents Nissan’s future design language, developed for the coming automotive era. Albaisa added that the IMk concept was essentially inspired from a Japanese kei car but on a very modern EV platform. The word “kei” comes from the Japanese word “keijidosh” meaning light automobile. This category is the smallest highway-legal passenger car. The original kei car category was created by the Japanese government in 1949, and the regulations have been revised several times since. These regulations specify a maximum vehicle size, engine capacity of 660cc and power output, so that owners may enjoy both tax and insurance benefits.

These Japanese kei cars are propelled with anemic 660cc internal combustion engines and are very uncomfortable to drive and ride. The IMk concept will change all that, since the cabin space will be free from bulky drivetrains and powertrains and will essentially have a flat floor surface.

Equipped with the latest ProPilot advanced driver assistance technologies and seamless connectivity features, the IMk provides a glimpse of how urban-oriented cars may look and feel in the near future. “As a small EV for a new era, the Nissan IMk is designed to be at home in sophisticated cityscapes as much as in traditional Japanese towns,” said Satoru Tai, executive design director at Nissan. “ The IMk fuses a modern, clean look, driven by its Japanese heritage, with cutting-edge EV technology. Unconstrained by conventional concepts of the kei car segment, its design is interwoven with Japanese culture. It’ s a luxury small EV that I hope a lot of customers are going to drive.”

Nissan Philippines president Atsushi Najima with the Nismo Leaf RC

Other highlights at the Nissan display at the Tokyo Motor Show includes a new Nissan Skyline, showcasing Nissan’s most advanced driver assistance technology on the road today, ProPILOT 2.0, the Nissan Serena, the company’s most popular minivan, equipped with the award-winning e-POWER system, the Nissan Dayz, the first commuter car equipped with ProPILOT, The zero-emission Nissan LEAF e+, offering an enhanced EV driving and ownership experience. For the public days, Nissan placed an additional lineup of cars including the 50th anniversary Nissan GT-R and the GT-R Nismo, Nissan Note e-POWER Nismo S Black Limited and the Serena e-Power Autech edition.