Nissan announced this week that the company has started production of a Nissan Leaf-based sedan called “Sylphy” in China.
Why is this car important?
Nissan Leaf is not just an important car for the company but as an all-electric passenger car with more than 320,000 customers all over the world, the Leaf is an extremely product for the EV world.
One of the main drawbacks of Nissan Leaf has been its battery pack which offered a sub 200 mile range. Nissan is planning to launch a new model in United States, Nissan Leaf e-Plus in 2019 with an estimated EPA range of 220 miles.
The Nissan Sylphy offers a range of 210 miles, despite its increased size. And Nissan has started production of the car in China. This clearly shows that Nissan already has the technology in place to offer more than 200 miles range, a crucial factor, as Nissan Leaf will be going up against Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3, cars that offer more than 200 miles range.
What did Nissan President and CEO Hiroto Saikawa say: “China is already the world’s largest automotive market. But China isn’t just a leader in terms of market size: It stands at the forefront of the development of the industry itself. “The market is now evolving extremely quickly, especially in the areas of electrification and connectivity. In fact, China is expected to lead the world in the adoption and spread of EVs in the coming years.”
Future Plans in China:
China is the worlds largest EV market and its growing fast, thanks to government policies that favor EVs over ICE cars.
Nissan plans to launch five more all Electric models in China by the end of 2019, targeting customers in multiple market segments. The company plans to introduce 20 electrified models over the next five years in China.
