- Dongfeng Nissan, an ongoing joint venture automobile brand between Japan’s Nissan Motor Corporation and China’s Dongfeng Motor Group which spans back over two decades, has launched its new fully-electric saloon destined for the Chinese market.
- With pricing rumoured to start from RMB 160,000 (equivalent to just under $22,000), the premium-led Dongfeng Nissan N7 will challenge both local models and European alternatives.
- The new car marks a new push for Nissan to up its Chinese sales, after sales recently dropped in the region.
Dongfeng Nissan N7 goes on sale in China
With the Dongfeng Nissan N7 being displayed at the Shanghai Auto Show this week, sales of the EV for Chinese customers will begin this month. As this sales launch is taking place just five months after the N7’s initial debut, Nissan says this short timeframe highlights its ongoing efforts to accelerate the speed it brings new products to market — and directly highlights the benefits of teaming up with a Chinese OEM, which are widely renowned for rapid car development times, in comparison to manufacturers in Europe, North America, and Japan.
Chinese pricing for the N7 is yet to be confirmed until later in the month, but rumours suggest a starting price of RMB 160,000 (equivalent to just under $22,000). For now, it remains an EV exclusive to China, with no signs of the new model making its way to other territories.
The drag coefficient of the N7 stands at just 0.208 Cd, making it one of the most aerodynamic production cars on the market — alongside EVs like the Tesla Model S and Mercedes-Benz EQS. With the larger 73kWh battery pack specified, this’ll allow the N7 to travel up to 635 kilometres (395 miles) on a single charge. This might be a low-priced car, but its range is anything but what its price tag suggests.
Its low price, combined with these capabilities, are creating a headache for more expensive European rivals. That’s why it’s no surprise to see brands such as Audi launch its China-exclusive AUDI E5 at the Shanghai Auto Show, which has been co-developed with Chinese partner SAIC – which should also be able to compete in terms of rapid development time and price.
The role of the N7 within Nissan’s wider strategy
The Dongfeng Nissan N7 also marks part of Nissan’s wider ‘Ambition 2030’ strategy, where it plans to sell 27 separate electrified models worldwide, with 19 being fully-electric, by 2030. Other models it recently announced this year to reach this goal include a third generation of its Nissan Leaf hatchback, along with the first fully-electric iterations of its Juke crossover and Micra city car models.
