Is Nissan building an electric ute?

Nissan looks set to join the electric dual-cab ute ranks with an all-new EV utility that will undercut the Nissan Navara in size, price and emissions.

According to US industry journal Automotive News, the still-secret Nissan electric ute will rival the likes of the forthcoming Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Citing a “person familiar with the matter”, AN says the new ute will be purely electric as Nissan looks to gain a foothold in the bourgeoning EV market – both stateside and abroad.

The news comes days after the US government announced plans to electrify 50 per cent of its new-car fleet by the end of the decade.

In response, Nissan’s vice-president of sales and regional operations in the US – and former head of Fiat-Chrysler in Australia – Judy Wheeler told AN: “There are all kinds of things under discussion. I don’t know that there is any serious discussion there at this point. I could see that coming.

“The pick-up area is kind of interesting. There will be a consumer that’s looking more for a lifestyle vehicle that they can put all their gear in and go off-roading.”

Several car-makers are homing in on the smaller lifestyle ute market as a key area for expansion, and the Ford Maverick is a case in point.

Slotting in below the Australian-developed Ford Ranger in the US, and still to be confirmed for release Down Under, the all-new Ford Maverick measures in at 5072mm long, 1844mm wide and 1745mm high.

Notably, this is 282mm shorter and 53mm lower than the Ranger – yet it still offers a 680kg payload and a 1370mm tray length.

As with Nissan’s purported compact ute strategy, Ford is also offering electrification with the Maverick in the form of a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that is said to be capable of consuming 6.4L/100km on the US combined test cycle.

Chances are there’ll be an EV version before too long as well.

Set to go on sale in the US by the fourth quarter of this year, the 2021 Ford Maverick is built in Mexico using the same C2 platform as the Ford Escape mid-size SUV.

While the Maverick is not yet locked in for Australia, the hybrid version of the Escape is due here early next year.

The next-generation Nissan Navara will be built on the same platform as the next Mitsubishi Triton, with electrification expected across both model lines.