Nissan has released images of its Ariya Single Seater Concept, which it describes as a high-performance exploration, development and demonstration project that shows how its Ariya road car powertrain could be used in a bespoke single-seater racing car chassis.
The concept was presented at the Nissan Futures event by Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan senior vice president for global design, and Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan global marketing divisional general manager for brand and engagement.
“At Nissan, we dare to do what others don’t,” said Hoyos. “With this concept we want to showcase the high-performance potential of the Ariya’s powertrain in a motorsports-inspired package that not only hints at the design and styling of the road car that inspired it, but that also demonstrates a new and efficient EV performance language. Acting as a testbed for future technological evolution, this project can help bring excitement from the road to the racetrack, and also demonstrate Nissan’s expertise in transferring knowledge and technology from the racetrack to the road.”
Albaisa added, “As we began to shape our Nissan Ambition 2030 long-term vision, we continued to build on our Timeless Japanese Futurism design language. We are now drawing inspiration from the Japanese words shun, meaning to run fast and effortlessly, and sho, meaning to soar with power and grace. The Ariya Single Seater Concept is the perfect expression of this new language. Leveraging the Ariya’s EV powertrain in a motorsports-inspired package allowed our international team to capture this new sense of speed, technology and artistry.”
Nissan’s participation in Formula E also played a key role in inspiring the Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept. “Nissan competes in Formula E not only to race on track, but also to support the development of compelling electric vehicles for customers,” explained Tommaso Volpe, Nissan global motorsports director. “Our EV programs inform our Formula E program and vice versa, allowing for road-to-track technology transfer as well as track-to-road. The Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept explores the combination of the all-electric powertrain, dual motors and revolutionary all-wheel-drive system of the Ariya with a pure single-seat racing chassis – a powerful demonstration of just how thrilling electric vehicles could be.”
