Nissan Ariya electric SUV teased ahead of July debut

Nissan has posted a teaser of its answer to the Tesla Model Y, the all-new Ariya electric SUV that will be launched in 2021, all but confirming its design will remain faithful to the 2019 Tokyo motor show concept car of the same name.

Already exposed in patent images lodged in Japan in April, Nissan's flagship battery-powered SUV will feature the same slimline headlights and a dominant inverted trapezoidal grille as the concept that previewed it.

What’s different are the slim triangular air intakes that appear to have adopted small additional indicators or fog lights at their base.

The bumper’s lower air intake, meanwhile, now features more partitions while the side profile indicates Nissan planss to position the charging port above the wheel on the front fender.

It’s not known if Nissan plans to employ the concept's rear-view cameras on the production Ariya, or whether the advanced plug-in SUV will feature conventional door mirrors.

But aside from smaller wheels, the production vehicle looks almost identical to the concept in side profile, if you ignore the shark fin antenna.

The concept car’s design continues at the rear, where the production version features a black outline where the rear wiper will be positioned.

We already know many of the production car’s secrets and have even driven a mule that features its powerful dual-motor powertrain.

Based on Nissan’s dedicated new CMF-EV platform architecture, the Ariya measures in at 4600mm long – just 40mm shorter than the car-maker’s X-TRAIL.

Set to be powered by two electric motors that will muster around 227kW and 680Nm of torque, Nissan promises the Ariya will be “almost as fast” as the ballistic Nissan GT-R.

Expect a 0-100km/h time of around three seconds but a significantly lower top speed than the GT-R.

As well as being fast in a straight line, the Ariya will feature an advanced chassis control technology that is claimed to elevate both cornering and braking levels to match the brand’s latest performance vehicles.

Clever regenerative braking tech, meanwhile, aims to reduce the dive and pitch associated with electric cars.

Created to be a direct rival for the Tesla Model Y, the zero-emission Nissan SUV will also boast a 500km range.

According to Nissan's latest press release, the Ariya's 'shield' grille will package an array of sensors to facilitate the car-maker's latest ProPilot driver-assist functions, which will allow Level 3 (hands and eyes off) autonomous driving on the highway.

Inside, the Nissan Ariya will get a modern, upmarket cabin offering the space of a larger SUV.

It’s thought Nissan’s next-gen infotainment operating system will also be introduced alongside the EV’s 12.3-inch infotainment touch-screen.

There’s no word yet on pricing for the Nissan Ariya, which will make its global debut online on July 15, but it's unlikely to match the $60K starting price of the Hyundai Kona Electric, let alone the $50K base price of Nissan's own LEAF.