Nissan is finally ramping up Ariya electric SUV output
After a slow start, Nissan is ramping up output of its first electric SUV. Nissan’s new Intelligent Factory, where the Nissan Ariya is built, is finally running smoothly.
Nissan Ariya EV output is ramping up in Japan
Nissan announced the Ariya, its second global EV behind the LEAF, in 2020. Although it was expected to launch in 2021, it was pushed back a year over the global chip shortage.
The automaker began building the Ariya at its new Intelligent Factory in October 2021. At the end of the fiscal year (ending March 31), Nissan had only built 27,600 vehicles, delivering almost 17,000 globally.
From April through October, output has jumped to 26,900, with sales totaling 23,800. Nissan blamed the slow start on the COVID-19 pandemic and global chip shortage.
According to Nissan’s Tochigi plant manager, Eiji Kikuchi, the factory is now running at full steam. It has more than enough capacity.
“It’s underutilized — we have more capacity,” Kikuchi explained on a factory tour last week. After finding its rhythm, Nissan is expected to scale Ariya EV output. The plant’s manager confirmed that the Intelligent Factory line is running at two-thirds capacity.
Nissan unveiled its Intelligent Factory line at its Tochigi plant in 2021 to cut costs on its next-gen EVs. The new methods help reduce production costs by 10% compared to older processes.
The automaker plans to expand the tech to other Nissan facilities. It’s likely a preview of what we can expect at Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi, facility.
Nissan invested $500 million into the plant to transform it into “North America’s electrification hub.” The plant is preparing to produce a pair of electric Nissan and Infiniti sedans and crossovers starting in 2026.
Electrek’s Take
Nearly 10,000 Ariya electric SUVs have been delivered in the US through September. With higher output, sales are expected to continue rising as demand for EVs climbs.
More importantly, Nissan is cutting costs with new production methods to make their EVs more competitive. The decade-old LEAF’s sales continue fading while the Ariya takes the spotlight.
As it gears up to make a comeback in the EV market, Nissan has teased several concepts over the past few months.
The automaker confirmed it will build a next-gen LEAF alongside an electric Juke and Qashqai at its Sunderland, UK factory.
Nissan’s new LEAF EV will morph into a crossover coupe SUV. It will reportedly look more like the Ariya. The new model is expected to be revealed in full next year. Check back soon for more details.
Source: Automotive News
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.
These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.
According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”
These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
Electrek’s Take
I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.
We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.
I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!
Via: WCJB
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.
Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV
Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.
At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.
As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.
The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.
Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.
Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.
The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.
According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”
Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.
What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike