Nissan Sakura EV is an affordable Kei electric car for Japan

Honoring him promise from last yearNissan has introduced its first all-electric kei car. The Nissan Sakura EV is a production version The concept of IMk from 2019 in order to make electric mobility more accessible to Japanese customers.

The model is named after the Japanese cherry and is very similar to the concept car. Stylish features such as a black V-motion radiator, LED headlights and an alloy wheel pattern make it look like a miniature version Nissan Ariya. Design is an evolution of the theme introduced Dayz Car kei on ICE with cleaner coating and more modern details. Sakura is available in a wide range of fifteen exterior colors that can be combined with three interior colors (black, beige and blue-gray).

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Predictably, the pad is small to comply with kei car rules. Sakura has 3395 mm (133.7 inches) in length, 1475 mm (58.1 inches) in width and 1655 mm (65.2 inches) in height, with a wheelbase of 2495 mm (98.2 inches). These figures do Fiat 500 and Honda e urban EVs look great compared. The turning radius is only 4.8 m (189 inches), which allows it to move easily on narrow Japanese roads.

The weight is pretty high for Kei car standards, from 1070 kg (2359 lbs) to 1080 kg (2381 lbs) depending on the equipment. This is about 240 kg (529 pounds) more than the Dayz with ICE engines, indicating extra weight electrification.

The youngest member of the Nissan’s EV line equipped with one electric motor with a capacity of 63 liters. There are three driving modes: eco, standard and sport, and the top speed is limited to 130 km / h (81 miles per hour). There is also an e-Pedal Step for riding with a single pedal that offers smooth regenerative deceleration.

The floor-mounted battery is quite small with a capacity of 20 kW / h, which is enough for the 180 km (112 miles) WLTC range. It can also serve as a mobile source of electricity during emergencies and power the house all day in the event of a power outage. It takes 8 hours to fully charge the battery, but you can also charge it up to 80 percent in about 40 minutes when connected to a fast charger.

Nissan claims that the Sakura EV has excellent driving comfort, a quiet cabin and increased stability due to its low center of gravity. Equipment is quite generous for a city vehicle, including ADAS, such as ProPILOT Park (automated parking), a 7-inch digital dashboard, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation, and automatic climate control. Despite the tiny trunk with 107 liters (3.8 cubic feet) of cargo space, the four-seater cab looks roomy and has practical features such as a dashboard tray and footrests.

The Nissan Sakura EV will be available in Japan from this summer. The price ranges from 2,333,100 yen ($ 18,221) to 2,940,300 yen ($ 22,964), but if you include a subsidy for clean energy vehicles available in Japan, you can buy a Sakura EV for just 1,780 000 yen ($ 13,912). In addition, Japanese customers will be able to purchase Sakura EV online by talking to a sales representative via video chat.