TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Nissan debuts EV softroader

If Nissan’s latest concept car is anything to go by, Tesla and other prestige brands will soon face some serious competition in the EV crossover segment.

The star of the Alliance brand’s Tokyo Motor Show stand, the IMx is an all-electric crossover concept which not only promises fully autonomous operation and vehicle-to-building functionality, but also a 600km range. And if you strip away some of the gimmicks, it’s not so far away from production reality.

Nissan says the IMx delivers a glimpse into the future of the company’s “approach to changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated with society”.

Marketed under the moniker ‘Nissan Intelligent Mobility’, the technology and execution is: “designed to strengthen the link between car and driver as a close, reliable partner that delivers a safer, more convenient and more enjoyable drive”.

The IMx autonomous operation is claimed to preview a future version of Nissan’s ProPILOT technology.

“When ProPILOT drive mode is selected, the system stows the steering wheel inside the dashboard and reclines all seats, giving the driver more space and allowing the vehicle’s occupants to relax and enjoy their commute,” Nissan spruiks.

A manual mode allows the driver to retain normal control.

Styling is an evolution of Nissan’s current design themes. At the pointy end (almost literally), Nissan’s signature V-motion grille is prominent. There’s clear links to the new LEAF and also the most recent version of the Nissan Murano.

Inside, the concept champions the concept of autonomous operation. On the wish-list for Nissan production cars in the near future is the OLED instrument panel which can display “a view of the external environment in the background”.

“A separate, wood grain-patterned display, positioned below the instrument panel and wrapping around the interior door trims, gives occupants a subtle sense of the outside, similar to a shoji, a traditional Japanese paper screen.

“Artificial intelligence enables the driver to control the instrument panel with eye movements and hand gestures. This intuitive interface results in fewer physical controls and switches, making the cabin of the IMx simple yet highly efficient and adding to its supreme comfort,” the Nissan PR burgers state.

Under the skin is a near-production ready version of Nissan’s latest EV platform. The ‘sandwich’ design allows the floor to be completely flat and lowers the centre of gravity for better driving dynamics.

A production version of the IMx would be no slouch in a straight line either. Nissan says the IMx is propelled by a pair of high-output electric motors delivering all-wheel-drive capability and 320kW. Torque is capped at 700Nm and sourced from “a high-capacity battery which has been redesigned and re-engineered for increased energy density”.

Nissan says this new battery “supports a driving range of more than 600km on a single charge, so occupants can enjoy an extended adventure without worrying about recharging”. The new EV infrastructure can also provide vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-building connectivity – effectively acting as a storage node when required.

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