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May 9, 2022
A Test Drive of Nissan's Masterpiece BEV, the Ariya | NISSAN
NISSAN ARIYA | Nissan Ariya
A Test Drive of Nissan's Masterpiece BEV, the Ariya
Motor journalist Fumio Ogawa test drives the "Ariya," an SUV that marks the debut of Nissan's new flagship battery electric vehicle (BEV). Here is his report on the drive.
Text by Fumio Ogawa | Photographs by Hirohiko Mochizuki
A Powerful Drive That Makes You Wonder if the Front-Wheel Drive Model Isn't Enough
Finally, we get to experience the Nissan Ariya. Announced in July 2020, the test drive took place in April 2022 – nearly two years after its reveal. The first models shipped from the factory were the "B6" front-wheel drive variants.
I'd had opportunities to see and touch the pure EV Ariya in person several times before. Even so, gazing at the actual car under the sun, it doesn't look dated at all, even after two years.
With its coupe-like cabin perched on a body measuring 4,595mm long and 1,655mm high, the styling has a strong presence. This makes Nissan Motor Corporation's claim that "many imported car owners visited the test drive events" quite believable.
The B6 is equipped with a 66kWh battery. A "B9" model with a 91kWh battery is scheduled to be added later in the summer. Both FWD and AWD versions are available, with the B6 FWD offering a range of 450km and the B9 FWD up to 610km on a single charge.
The development engineers consistently urged us to look forward to the all-wheel-drive system model, named "e-4ORCE."
Naturally, the performance of the system that integrates motor, drivetrain, and brake control is intriguing. But does that mean the B6 is unremarkable? I'd argue it's more than sufficient. It delivers a powerful driving experience.
The vehicle weighs just under 2.2 tons, making it substantial due to the large battery. However, with an output of 160kW and 300Nm of torque, it has ample power. You don't feel the weight. Acceleration from a standstill, straight-line speed, and accelerating out of corners all feel instantaneous.
The Ariya is also equipped with regenerative braking, a system that applies braking force when you lift off the accelerator pedal, converting the generated energy into electricity to recharge the drive battery.
The Ariya features Nissan's unique regenerative braking system called "e-Pedal." Unlike systems where you use paddles near the steering wheel to brake, here the driver simply chooses between on and off. When the e-Pedal regenerative braking is active, you can decelerate smoothly by making fine adjustments to how much you release the accelerator pedal.