Introduction of New EV Pushed to 2020
At the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan showed of the stunning IMx concept car, and what a design it was. With knife-edged fenders and deep front air intakes up front and elaborate geometric taillamps, it was a futuristic vision of Nissan design. And we were told it could appear soon.
To add to the anticipation, the Nissan IMx concept boasts 430 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque from twin electric motors. With that kind of motivation, the IMx, when it arrives, will chase upscale cars like the Jaguar I-Pace and the Tesla Model X, as well as new EV crossovers from Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and perhaps even supercars like the Porsche Taycan. It’s expected to have a 250-mile range and feature an advanced version of Nissan’s ProPilot semi-autonomous driving platform.
However, Nissan’s global design chief, Alfonso Albaisa, recently told Indian Autos Blog that the production car is still two years away. It is likely to appear as a 2020 model.
With crossovers all the rage, why wait? Electric CUVs are already here, and more are on the way in the next year or two. Nissan, which pioneered consumer EVs with the original Leaf in 2010, could be left behind. Since the car is supposed to sit on the existing second-generation Leaf platform, why couldn’t it debut sooner?
Perhaps, as a small volume halo car, it’s something to ease into, not jump into, while enjoying the halo benefit of an auto-show one-off concept. Meanwhile, EV enthusiasts will just have to cool their jets waiting for the 2020 Nissan IMx.
I just want to know when this Nissan IMx will be available in the market: purchase. How long should I wait? I am in the hunt to purchase one; I like the design .
@Sylveter,
I hate to be the bearer of this news, but it looks like Nissan is not going to bring the iMx into production. They’ve been struggling to get the Ariya EV out, falling behind the competition. The company’s latest design direction was shown in the Max Out concept, which you can see at https://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/future-concept.html. So the wait for the iMx may be longer than you’d like; it’s never a good sign when a vehicle is delayed and then slips behind the delayed intro date by several years. Rest assured, we’ll keep you up on everything coming to market from Nissan and all of their competitors. –ed.