That price, however, slightly undercuts the cheapest fwd Mustang Mach-E, which has a 70-kWh battery and starts at 42,530 pounds.
Four-wheel-drive Ariya models, which are due in late summer, such as the e-4ORCE variant with an 87-kWh battery, twin electric motors and output of 389 hp will start as 58,440 pounds. Nissan says version of the EV accelerates 0 to 100kph (62 mph) in 5.1 seconds.
Nissan estimates the 63-kWh version will provide a range of 403 km (250 miles) while the 87-kWh variant can travel 500km.
The fastest charging speed is comparatively slow at 130 kilowatts, but the car is the first electric Nissan to use the combined charging system (CCS) instead of the Chademo setup favored by the Japanese but not widely adopted in Europe.
The Ariya first appeared in near-production guise at the 2019 Tokyo auto show and has been delayed by the pandemic, the chip crisis and other supply chain disruptions, the automaker said.
Despite the long gap from its debut the EV’s design, with its plunging V-shape grille and sweeping curved roofline, still looks fresh.
The Ariya’s interior incorporates inspiration from Japanese Kumiko latticed woodwork and the decorated Andon lantern, the latter seen in the ambient lighting, Nissan said.
The Ariya is built on same Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance CMF-EV platform as the Megane E-Tech electric hatchback that also goes on sale this year.
The platform places the batteries under the car between the axles, creating a flat cabin floor. The flatness allowed Nissan to link the driver and passenger footwells to create more of a sense of airiness in the cabin.
All models feature two 12.3-inch screens, one in front of the driver, to deliver information.
Separate buttons for the heating and ventilation sit flush in the panel below the central screen and give haptic feedback when pressed, helping provide a clean look to the instrument panel.