Nismo powers up Nissan Ariya electric car

Nissan has officially announced its Ariya Nismo at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

The brand has made increases to the powertrain outputs by “approximately 10 per cent” by tuning the control system.

Drivers will now be able to take advantage of a dedicated Nismo mode on the electric car, which will offer an “overwhelming sense of acceleration”.

Nismo powers up Nissan Ariya electric car

The entry-level Nismo B6 e-4orce will produce 270kW (+20kW) of power and 560Nm of torque, and has a 66kWh battery pack. This model weighs 2080kg.

The top-spec Nismo B9 e-4orce produces 320kW (+30kW) of power and 600Nm of torque, and features a 91kWh battery pack. This model weighs around 2.2 tonnes.

Currently, the entry-level e-4orce AWD variant has a combined output of 250kW/560Nm while the flagship powertrain offers 290kW/600Nm.

The B6 will be offered with the same 66kWh battery pack as the standard AWD, while the B9 will use the larger 91kWh battery pack.

The brand has yet to disclose any other powertrain details, although Nissan does claim the Ariya Nismo will be a second faster in a 0-120km/h sprint than the standard Ariya.

This is the first production vehicle outside of Formula E with e-4orce capabilities that has received Nismo treatment. Nissan says it has tuned the vehicle’s dynamics and control to ensure that at full speed the vehicle doesn’t lose control and “become unstable” around corners.

The design key word was “power hidden within”, and Nissan says the aero bits have been developed using experience from the motorsports world.

The interior includes a combination of non-slip suede upholstery, black finishes and red accents.

It also has a red stripe that runs across the dashboard and around the centre console, to make it sportier. Nissan says the interior of the Ariya Nismo has been designed to “feel a sense of quality appropriate to its class”.

The Ariya Nismo receives Michelin pilot sport EV tyres – which are used in the brand’s Formula E racing – along with 20-inch aluminium wheels.

The wheels have been widened to increase performance and reduce weight.

There will reportedly be six colours to choose from. There are single-tone options including Prism White, Dark Metal Grey, and Midnight Black.

The two-tone options all feature a Midnight Black roof but feature Prism White, Deep Ocean Blue or Stealth Grey body colours.

The standard Nissan Ariya is yet to make its way to Australian shores, with timing of the electric SUV up in the air.

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