Skip advert
Advertisement

Striking new Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept unveiled

Nissan combines the Ariya’s platform with a racy single-seat body to showcase the performance potential of the EV’s powertrain

Nissan has given its engineers a chance to let their hair down with a striking new race car concept unveiled in Japan which, believe it or not, shares the same platform as the pure-electric Ariya SUV.

It’s called the Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept, and it’s designed to showcase how readily the SUV’s platform could lend itself to performance applications.

Nissan hasn’t confirmed any performance specifications for the concept, other than the fact that it uses the brand’s CMF-EV underpinnings and e-4ORCE four-wheel drive, dual-motor electric powertrain. However, as it’s a race car concept, we expect Nissan will have used the most potent version of the Ariya’s powertrain, which produces 389bhp and 600Nm of torque.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In the standard Ariya SUV, that’s enough for a 0–62mph time of 5.1 seconds. We expect that time will dip well into the four-second range for this concept, though, as most of its bodywork is made from lightweight carbon fibre.

The concept also doesn’t need to haul around the vast amounts of safety equipment and technology required in the standard Ariya road car, which sheds a few more kilogrammes. Nissan may also have opted for the entry-level Ariya’s 65kWh battery pack rather than the flagship model’s 90kWh unit to save a bit more weight.

Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan’s global marketing manager, said: “At Nissan, we dare to do what others don’t. With this concept we want to showcase the high-performance potential of the Ariya’s powertrain in a motorsports-inspired package that not only hints at the design and styling of the road car that inspired it, but that also demonstrates a new and efficient EV performance language.”

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

He also hinted that Nissan will use this concept to develop an upcoming pure-electric performance car, saying: “Acting as a testbed for future technological evolution, this project can help bring excitement from the road to the race track, and also demonstrate Nissan’s expertise in transferring knowledge and technology from the race track to the road.”

Advertisement - Article continues below

Despite heading in a completely different design direction to the Ariya SUV, Nissan also says it has tried to retain some of the road car’s styling cues on the concept. Up front, there’s the same V-shaped grille and narrow daytime running lights as the SUV, and Nissan says the curvy surfacing along the concept’s sides is reminiscent of the road car.

Nissan also pulled some design inspiration from its exploits in Formula E, as hinted by the halo ring around the cockpit and the design of the concept’s front splitter and rear wing.

Tommaso Volpe, Nissan’s global motorsports director, said: “Nissan competes in Formula E not only to race on track, but also to support the development of compelling electric vehicles for customers. Our EV programs inform our Formula E program and vice versa, allowing for road-to-track technology transfer as well as track-to-road.

“The Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept explores the combination of the all-electric powertrain, dual motors and revolutionary all-wheel drive system of the Ariya with a pure single seat racing chassis – a powerful demonstration of just how thrilling electric vehicles could be.”

Now click here to read about Nissan’s plans to launch 15 new EVs by 2030...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New Nissan Ariya Nismo 2025 review: hot electric SUV lacks some bite
Nissan Ariya Nismo - front

New Nissan Ariya Nismo 2025 review: hot electric SUV lacks some bite

Applying a legendary Japanese performance brand name to the Nissan Ariya electric SUV is a bold move, but it works – to a certain degree, at least
Road tests
5 Feb 2025
Best electric SUVs to buy 2025
Best electric SUVs - header image

Best electric SUVs to buy 2025

The electric SUV market is growing rapidly, so we’re here to help you pick the best ones to buy
Best cars & vans
7 Jan 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Ariya is unbelievable value at just £209 a month
Nissan Ariya - main image

Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Ariya is unbelievable value at just £209 a month

Nissan’s Ariya is a smartly designed electric SUV for the family. It’s our Deal of the Day for 13 December.
News
13 Dec 2024
Best mid-size SUVs to buy 2025
Best mid-size SUVs - header image

Best mid-size SUVs to buy 2025

Mid-size SUVs are hugely popular in the UK, and these are the very best
Best cars & vans
9 Dec 2024

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month
Jaguar I-Pace - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Bag one of the last Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs for under £400 a month

The I-Pace shows how good an electric Jag can be. It’s our Deal of the Day for 7 February
News
7 Feb 2025
Best car insurance comparison sites 2025
Person browsing on a laptop

Best car insurance comparison sites 2025

It’s always a wise policy to shop around for car insurance cover, so which websites make it easiest?
Product group tests
6 Feb 2025
BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts