- Nissan resurrects Micra, which is now in its sixth generation
- Affordable city car has got the EV treatment
- It’s based on the recent Renault 5 and there is a lot of crossover
Nissan has revealed details of the brand new electric Micra, which will eventually be with a heavily revised magazine, an electrified version of his Juke SUV and a soon-to-be-advertised city car in an updated line-up.
The Japanese selection that feels the pressure of increased competition and a preliminary approach to electric vehicles hopes this updated model lineup can spray a little voltage.
The new Micra comes at a time when Nissan has stated that it will cut 20,000 jobs, close seven factories around the world and pause a number of new car development programs until it can stabilize the ship.
With over 40 years of history, Micra has determined name -tag recognition to change a few devices, and it is also based on the same substructure that has already received several awards and recognition – Renault Ampr Small Platform.
Jepp, it’s the same as used for Renault 5 E-Tech and the recently launched Renault 4 Electric Reboot. This means that the new Micra gets two battery settings, with 40 kWh and 52kWh up to grabbing.
In the smaller version, drivers get 121BHP to play with and an alleged range of 195 miles, but the compact Micra weighs in only 1,400 kg … not bad for a modern EV.
The larger battery setting can control 253 miles of range and pack a more potent 148BHP electric motor that drives the front wheels. It is a little heavier at 1,524 kg, but recharging is faster, at 80 kW speed, allowing for a 15 to 80% top-up of approx. 30 minutes.
The sister company Renault has also offered its suspension system, braking and several driving conditions, so it should pretty much feel like the nipy and fantastic fun Renault 5 E-Tech to drive.
In fact, there is a huge amount of gallic influence here, including inside, where infotainment array with double screen, switch gear and dash everyone looks pretty much the same.
To differentiate the two cars, Nissan has drawn on his past and added round LED LED lights on the day, the kind of echo those seen on the European Micra in 2002. However, these modern interpretations are now performing a brief choreographed “Welcome Wink” when you unlock the vehicle.
The wider wheel arches, massive alloy wheels and an lower lip in front help give it a more aggressive attitude on the road.
Oh, and there’s what designers call “ice cream shoe” that runs down the side, which is essentially an indentation that has been pressed into the surface just below the windows, “reminiscent of the shape a scoop would do if pulled over the surface of pristine ice,” according to Nissan.
Analysis: Shaking of the Old Hours Image
Micra has been a tremendously popular model for Nissan in Europe, which has changed more than six million units in the 40-quality years it has been for sale, but its image has historically provided older driver and budgets in the first car (in the UK anyway), rather than ever to be something really desirable.
The latest version is the first in its long history not to be sold with an internal combustion engine, and Nissan hopes that this fact, along with co-development with Renault, will help it appeal to younger buyers.
Nissan’s European Marketing Manager, Arnaud Charpentier, also told Auto Car that Micra would be more expensive than Renault’s offer, hoping it would come across a more premium opportunity.
But it is difficult to get away from the many similarities between the new Micra and Renault 5, where the latter feels more vivid, funkies and carries much more retro charm … especially on the inside.
Borrowing several elements from one of the most successful EV launches in recent years is probably not such a bad thing, and let’s realize it, the brand new Micra certainly looks much more appealing than previous generations.
