Nissan announces electric successor to Micra hatchback

Nissan has just announced the successor to the Nissan Micra – and it will be electric!

The announcement is another sign that EVs are expanding into ever more vehicle segments. Designed by Nissan and engineered and manufactured in the Renault ElectriCity centre in France, it will be based on the Alliance CMF B-EV platform that will also underpin the new electric Renault 5 which is due for European release in 2024.

The Micra replacement is just one part of the recently announced Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi Alliance 2030 roadmap. This roadmap involves a £19 billion ($A30 billion), 5 year electrification plan that includes 35 new EVs by 2030.

Alongside the CMF B-EV platform, the Alliance will manufacture four other new EV platforms, including the CMF-EV used in the Nissan Ariya and the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric – the latter due for European sales release in February this year.

The new Nissan model will become the entry-level vehicle in the Nissan line-up, although it is yet to be named and full details of its appearance and specifications are to be announced ‘at a later date’.

The CMF B-EV platform has previously been stated by the Alliance as being capable of a 400km WLTP range, with initial production projections of 250,000 vehicles a year.

Currently, the new Nissan is slated for sale in Europe only. Sadly, even if plans to expand exports beyond Europe eventuate – it is yet another EV model that is unlikely to reach Australia.

In this case, perhaps – not just because it is electric. This is due to the Micra fitting into the popular European ‘compact vehicle category’ vehicle.

Whilst this category is popular there, it is one that has all but disappeared in Australia due to our seeming obsession with buying ever larger vehicles. As a result, the Micra was dropped here in 2016 when Nissan Australia culled its model line-up to focus on SUVs and utes.