Another day, another China exclusive EV starts production. This time it’s Nissan, who is starting production of their Sylphy Zero Emission, the companies first all-electric car made for China.
The Sylphy Zero Emission is the marriage of two popular Nissan’s, the pre-existing Sylphy which is Nissan’s best selling Chinese sedan, and the LEAF which as we know, is one the most popular electric cars in the world. It’s a pretty good match for Nissan as they kick off their electric initiative with Dongfeng to bring 20 electrified cars to China by 2022.
Hiroto Saikawa, president and CEO of Nissan Motor had the following to say about the importance of the Chinese market:
“China is already the world’s largest automotive market. But China isn’t just a leader in terms of market size: It stands at the forefront of the development of the industry itself. The market is now evolving extremely quickly, especially in the areas of electrification and connectivity. In fact, China is expected to lead the world in the adoption and spread of EVs in the coming years. We’re confident that the Sylphy Zero Emission rolling off the production line today will become a main player in the EV market here. It’s going to pave the way for our Nissan Intelligent Mobility strategy in the Chinese market.”
The Sylphy Zero Emissions costs 166,000 yuan ($25,850) after government subsidies, giving it a price that is half of what the Chinese version of the LEAF is sold for under the Venucia brand.
Nissan says that the car can go 338 km (210 miles) on a single charge. The styling of the Sylphy might be considered an improvement over the LEAF as well as the LEAF’s design was a matter of debate for many.
For Nissan this car seems like it will be a home run. It has a very low price, decent styling, and is built on a proven electric platform that gives good range. Hopefully the Sylphy will sell well enough to warrant Nissan rethinking about how many e-POWER hybrids they’ll make in the future and shift their attention towards full electrics.
What do you guys think of the new Sylphy? Let us know down below.
