If this happens, it could be huge.
It seems Nissan is ready to bring an all-electric pickup truck to market on our shores. That makes perfect sense since Nissan is a global leader in electrification and also makes compelling pickup trucks, i.e. the Frontier and Titan.
So far, most reasonably successful EVs have been smaller cars. In fact, the Tesla Model 3 is the only successful EV to date in terms of sales, and it’s a four-door sedan with reasonable passenger accommodations and lots of cargo room. Of course, the roomy Tesla Model S and Model X have proven to sell well, too over the years. But, if another EV is going to prevail in the States in this day and age, it almost has to be a larger SUV or a pickup truck.
OEMs, EV startups, and Tesla alike know full well that this is the case in the U.S. and they’re planning accordingly. Well, at least a few are: Tesla, Rivian, and Ford to name the only trendsetters. Accordingly, the global head of Nissan’s Light Commercial Vehicles business Francois Bailly shared:
“Electrification will be key to trucks. Electric is fun to drive — it’s fantastic torque, acceleration, quietness, all that are great.”
“There should not be any compromise in terms of towing, in terms of payload. We need to be able to offer a reasonably priced pickup truck.”
Sadly, we have no solid indication that Nissan will, in fact, offer a battery-electric truck in the States sooner rather than later. However, Automotive News seems to think that it will become a reality, though there are caveats. Bailly explained:
“I don’t think we are technologically ready to have that no-compromise EV or plug-in hybrid [truck]. I don’t want to put a truck on the market with limited payload, limited range, limited towing. The customers will not go for that.”
Still, Nissan’s joint venture with China’s Dongfeng proves it can make a compelling electric pickup truck. Bailly admitted:
“We want to learn from that,” and “go from there in choosing the right technology.”
When it comes to U.S. market sales, Nissan trucks are failing and have been or years. Perhaps an affordable all-electric truck is the answer?
We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, Bailly says Nissan needs to do whatever it takes to promote its products and increase its customer loyalty.
Yes, an all-electric pickup truck or larger SUV may be the answer.
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