Rare Semiconductor Chip, Nissan Delays Launch Of Electric Cars

Electric Cars (Photo: Green Car Reports)

JAKARTA - Nissan confirmed that the launch of the 'Ariya' electric car was postponed until 2022 in the United States (US) and Europe. This is due to the ongoing pandemic and the dearth of semiconductor chips in the automotive industry.

"One year ago, we announced that we were targeting the middle of this year, but after that, COVID-19 lasted longer than we expected and there was a shortage of semiconductors," said Nissan Executive Vice President Asako Hoshino as quoted by Bloomberg, Sunday 6 June.

The struggle to launch new models amid a global shortage of automotive chips is one facing automakers around the world. But launching the Ariya was urgent for Nissan.

One analyst has highlighted the model as key to the Japanese automaker's future performance, and he himself lauds the Ariya model as its flagship vehicle, embodying its decades-long reputation for high-tech cars.

According to Green Car Reports, the Japanese market will be first tested by the Ariya in mid-2021. However, Nissan has emphasized that the Ariya comes differently for each global market.

The US version of the Ariya will start at $40,000 for the model with the smaller 63-kWh battery. Models equipped with the greater 87-kWh power will be able to reach up to 300 miles in some conditions.

The car is equipped with technological features including Nissan's ProPilot 2.0 autonomous driving technology, self-parking features, and Amazon Inc's voice-based digital assistant, Alexa.

Other features to look forward to in the Ariya include a magic-carpet interior arranged on a completely flat floor throughout the cabin, and an interface that integrates two screens at different distances, allowing the driver's eye to slide smoothly from side to side.

For information, the Ariya is Nissan's first electric car that has appeared after 10 years since the birth of the Leaf. The Leaf is also the world's first mass-produced electric car.

It is known that the Ariya was introduced in July 2020. This car is available in two motion configuration options for the Japanese version, namely 2WD and AWD, each of which is equipped with 65 kWh and 90 kWh battery options.

Maximum power in the AWD version of the Nissan Ariya is 388 hp with 600 Nm of torque, while for 2WD the highest record is 238 hp and 300 Nm of torque.

Nissan estimates the chip shortage will impact about 500,000 electric cars it produces this fiscal year. It shifts features of its cars and prioritizes the production of its most popular models, and aims to recover about 50 percent of the lost output in the second half of the year.