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Nisan Ariya 4x2 and 87 kWh test drive

525 km driving range possible! by Philippe Lacroix

Nissan hopes to rival the Tesla Model Y with its large Ariya SUV, the latest addition to its family of
electric cars. Its selling point, a 525 km range at €61,400.

Nissan is no longer a novice when it comes to
electric cars and with the Ariya, it is positioning
itself in the segment of big open road cars
capable of cruising the motorways and
tackling long relaxed journeys. This means
range and refuelling are at the heart of the
challenge facing electric cars as they seek
to match the performance of combustion
or hybrid cars, and the Ariya provides an
answer that will appeal to a certain category
of customers.
The Ariya looks like a big car on the outside,
SUV style, 4.60 metres long, 1.85 metres
wide and 1.66 metres high, big enough to
comfortably accommodate five passengers
plus their luggage, since the boot capacity is
468 litres in the 2-wheel drive version.

A Futuristic and Functional Cockpit controls are the start button and the ventilation it won’t be very agile on small winding roads.
Design-wise, the Ariya is rather chunky controls. The central console is motorised, and On the other hand, its instantaneous torque
with its typical Nissan full black V-shaped it can be moved forwards or backwards at will. of 300 Nm gives it a certain punch and the
grille. However, its line is fluid with very slim silence is enjoyable. In town, which is not its
headlights and light claws that integrate the 2WD to Go Far preferred territory, it is quite possible to reach
indicators. At the rear, the narrow lights are The Ariya is available in two-wheel or four- or even exceed the 525 km range claimed.
linked by a wide strip of black glass with the wheel drive, with power ranging from 218 to But on the road...
Nissan signature in the centre. The profile 306hp, but it’s the 2WD, 242hp version with the
features a gently sloping roof finished with large 87kWh battery that seems best able to Speed or Cool, that’s the Dilemma
a broad black cap that partially covers the solve the range and recharging equation. With On the road it’s just a question of speed, like
tailgate glass. a 63 kWh battery, the range is automatically a car with a combustion engine, except that
The cabin is bright and the dashboard is shorter and the cars with combustion engines often have a
uncluttered and extremely functional. The 4 X 4 version, 65 kg heavier and more powerful, range of up to 1,000 km with an abundance of
digital instrument and the trip computer are is inevitably more fuel-hungry. Note that the filling stations available at their disposal, plus
housed behind the steering wheel, and are Ariya 242 hp already weighs in at 2,120 kg, the refuelling time is 5 minutes (except in the
in the form of a large strip. The only physical which is not negligible, and we can guess that case of shortage). So on the motorway, driving
at the maximum authorised speed, generally
130 km/h, the Ariya will approach 300 km.
On the other hand, at 100 km/h, the speed of
coaches, it has a good chance of exceeding
400 km. Only then is Paris-Monaco (almost)
possible in a single stopover. A stopover that
needs to be planned well in advance with
the help of the GPS so as to get to the right
charging point. Fast charging takes a good half
hour (if all goes well and a socket is available).
To conclude, it takes a philosophy all of its
own to use an electric car for travel, especially
with the price of the 242 hp traction Ariya set
at €61,400.

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