Nissan (NSANY) announced its new long-term vision. The beleaguered Japanese automaker said it will unveil AI-defined vehicles (AIDV) that will offer electrification technologies, but the company still promises gas-powered options as well.
The transformation begins with the return of the Xterra SUV and an all-new Rogue.
“This is the right moment to articulate Nissan’s long‐term vision as we move beyond the Re: Nissan recovery plan and set a clear path for the future. Our vision defines where Nissan is headed, with customer experience as our guiding priority,” CEO Ivan Espinosa said in a statement.
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Part of that means addition by subtraction. Nissan will “streamline” its model lineup from 61 to 45 models, exiting “low-performing models and reallocating reinvestment to growth areas.”
But the company will increase powertrain options for most models, giving customers choices, it said.
While AI will help power its advanced driving assistance systems, Nissan said new electrification efforts are just as important. The key is its new hybrid system.
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Nissan’s Hybrid e‐POWER platform creates a “natural bridge” to fully electric vehicles. It pairs an electric motor that propels the vehicle using electricity stored in a battery with a gas-powered engine that can activate to charge the battery when needed.
The first car to get this powertrain tech in the US will be the all-new Rogue crossover. Nissan said the new powertrain will provide “smooth, responsive acceleration and confident performance,” characteristics that plagued the old Rogue, which was powered by an underpowered 4-cylinder engine and sluggish transmission.
Nissan also confirmed the return of the Xterra, a popular, go-anywhere SUV that fans loved for its simplicity and off-road ruggedness.
The company teased the new Xterra with only an image, but Nissan said it will be produced in the US, with a targeted launch of late 2028. The vehicles will be powered by a V6, a rarity these days, as well as a V6 hybrid. Nissan said the new body-on-frame truck platform underpinning the Xterra coil expands across new vehicles, including pickups and other SUVs.
Nissan said a new EV, dubbed the Juke EV, is also in the works, as well as a Skyline performance vehicle, which will be music to the ears of Nissan Nismo and GT-R fans, though the Skyline is only destined for Japan.
Pras Subramanian is Lead Auto Reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.
