Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi have unveiled their first jointly developed mini electric vehicles, the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi eK, both built on the Kei EV platform.
In the middle of last year, Nissan and Mitsubishi announced that they were jointly developing a new electric “mini vehicle” that is to be launched on the market this year.
Based on the Kei EV architecture developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance to support ultra-compact electric vehicles, both vehicles were unveiled simultaneously late last week.
Nissan’s kei EV is the Sakura, named after the iconic Japanese cherry blossom, which will go on sale with a base price of 2,333,100 yen, which translates to around $26,000, a cheaper price Nissan hopes will bring consumers offers a wider choice in the EV market.
Nissan unveils a brand new all-electric mini vehicle in Japan. Source: Nissan
“The all-new Sakura follows the LEAF and Ariya as a mass-market EV,” said Asako Hoshino, Executive Vice President of Nissan. “We believe it will be a game changer for the Japanese market and will make EVs much more accessible to customers in Japan.”
The Sakura has an agile turning radius of 4.8 meters and a range of up to 180 kilometers (WLTC) with a 47 kW motor that generates 195 Nm of torque.
Despite its classification as a mini vehicle, Nissan still claims that the Sakura has a spacious interior, making it a perfect choice for city driving and everyday errands.
An automated parking system enhances this requirement, as do the three driving modes Eco, Standard and Sport, which ensure optimal performance depending on the situation.
A state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery, proven in the Nissan Leaf in terms of performance and reliability, is used in the Sakura and uses a special method of stacking its cell to minimize the battery’s impact on the vehicle’s interior.
Nissan unveils a brand new all-electric mini vehicle in Japan. Source: Nissan
V2X technology also allows the Sakura to provide a mobile power source in emergencies, powering a home for a day.
Nissan also announced that its Sakura will be available for test drives in the “Metaverse” at the Nissan Sakura Driving Island, marking an expansion of the company’s presence on the VR social platform VRChat.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi’s sibling eK X EV (pronounced eK cross EV) based on the same kei EV platform is priced similarly between 2,398,000 yen and 2,932,600 yen, or between $26,500 and $32,000 (converted).
Not surprisingly, with a range of 180 kilometers (WLTC) and a battery that can be used both as a vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-house battery for charging, the eK has many of the same numbers as the Nissan Sakura has everything from a kettle when you’re looking for a cup of coffee in the middle of the car, to your house during a power outage.
Available in two trim levels, the full-featured eK G features a 7-inch color LCD meter and an innovative pedal operation mode, while the high-end P comes with additional features such as SOS emergency assistance and a 9-inch smartphone Link navigation is fitted as standard.
Sales of Sakura and eK are expected to start in the northern summer.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing on climate change, clean technology and electric vehicles for over 15 years. Since 2012 he has reported on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven. His preferred means of locomotion are his feet.