Nissan shook the automotive world earlier this year with the introduction of their brand-new, all-electric SUV, the Ariya. Joining the Nissan Leaf, the Ariya will be Nissan’s second model of its EV lineup, and one which Nissan hopes will capture the market by storm. If the recent rise in popularity of SUVs and EVs is any indication, Nissan might be onto a real winner with the Ariya.
Ahead of the Ariya’s official release, scheduled for 2021, Nissan decided to treat us with a behind-the-scenes look at how they designed and sculpted their first fully-electric SUV. Nissan Europe created a bespoke online magazine specifically dedicated for the Ariya, as a way to tell the untold design stories, the challenges the team faced along the way, and how they ultimately conquered it all to create a futuristic EV which will shape Nissan’s upcoming lineup.
I encourage you all to read the magazine yourself because there’s some truly amazing stuff inside. Stuff most people don’t realise car designers and engineers face when they’re tasked with designing a car for the future. Three British employees feature heavily in the narrative, and without wishing to spoil the surprise waiting inside for you, I’ll give you a short glimpse as to what you can expect.
Matthew Weaver, Vice President of Nissan Design Europe, goes into great detail explaining how electric vehicles will shape the future of mobility and drastically alter the way we look at transportation. As Matt states inside the magazine, one of the fundamental challenges with the Ariya was reinventing and rethinking the core essentials of automotive mobility. He highlights five distinct areas in which EVs will shape the future of the auto industry, including aerodynamics, interior, controls, environment, and technology.
Lesley Busby, colour manager at Nissan Design Europe, delves deep into the subject of colour and why picking the right colours can ultimately make or break a great vehicle. Her job is to carefully select colours and materials for the Ariya, helping create a car that is both relaxing and calm, harmonizing the cabin space with an EV’s natural tendency of creating tranquillity.
Last but by no means least, we come to Chetan Chohan, design manager at Nissan Design Europe. Responsible for leading a team in charge of interior design, Chetan highlights just how important designing the perfect interior is. One of the challenges, as Chetan points out, is thinking four of five years ahead of time, as that will enable the car to remain relevant even as ideas change and innovation pushes us forward.
The magazine is full of inspiring stories of brilliant minds overcoming challenges and creating something wonderful, something which will shape the new era of EVs we enter and mould the future of automotive transport as we know it. Even if you’re not particularly interested in electric cars just yet, I urge everyone to read the magazine and keep an open mind. Once you realize how much innovation goes into a project like the Ariya, you begin to truly appreciate EVs for what they are and you start looking forward to the future of motoring.
