Nissan Delays Japanese Ariya EV Launch Over Chip Shortage
It's not totally clear if this will push back the global launch of the vehicle, but we wouldn't be surprised if it did.
Nissan's Ariya electric SUV is a big deal for the company that brought the first mass-produced, affordable EV to market, and not just because it's only the company's second EV. The stylish SUV is also slated for a starring role in Nissan's turnaround after years of turning out boring cars best suited for rental fleets.
The model went on sale in limited form in Japan in January, but according to a report published on Tuesday by Reuters, the global semiconductor shortage is once again playing havoc with the industry, and Nissan is being forced to push back the Ariya's wider Japanese release to May 12.
The original release was set for March, but clearly, that ship has sailed, seeing as we're now in April. Reuters' report only mentions Japanese on-sale dates, so it's not totally clear if the US on-sale plans have changed -- the company was targeting the fall of 2022 -- but we reached out to Nissan to find out.
For those of you playing at home, the 2023 Nissan Ariya starts at $47,125, including destination fee but not accounting for any tax credits or rebates. If equipped with the optional larger 87 kilowatt-hour battery pack, Nissan estimates the Ariya will return around 300 miles of range. Reservations are open now.
