Dongfeng Nissan, the Japanese manufacturer’s Chinese joint venture, has unveiled the N7 electric saloon at the Guangzhou Auto Show 2024. It is based on a new platform and hopes to revitalize Nissan’s slumping sales in China amid global financial troubles for the Japanese manufacturer.
The Nissan N7 is the brand’s first electric four-door saloon since the 2018 Sylphy Zero Emission, another China-only model, and its first new EV since the 2022 Ariya. It is one of 19 new fully electric models promised by 2030 as part of Nissan’s ‘The Arc’ mid-term plan and is built on a new Dongfeng-made electric platform.
Large saloon with advanced tech on-board
At 4,915 mm long, 1,895 mm wide, and 1,487 mm tall, on a 2,915 mm wheelbase, the Nissan N7 is about the same size as the Volkswagen ID.7 and the Mazda EZ-6, another Chinese-made electric saloon with a Japanese badge.
Dongfeng Nissan has not yet disclosed the drivetrain specs, but the company does say the N7 will offer an advanced ‘Navigate on Autopilot’ (NOA) driver-assist system, including semi-autonomous highway driving and automated parking. The infotainment system runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295p processor, the electronics manufacturer’s latest automotive system-on-a-chip.
More cash is desperately needed
The Nissan N7 is set to launch in China in the first half of 2025, by which time more details, including pricing, will also be released. With this new electric offering, Nissan hopes to regain some popularity in the Chinese market, where it suffered a 33% sales slump in 2023 and worse results in 2024 so far.
According to Bloomberg and the Japan Times, the Japanese manufacturer urgently needs more cash flow, as it faces a $1.6 billion debt bill in 2025 and a massive $5.6 billion debt repayment in 2026. The company recently cut 9000 jobs to regain some profit margin, which recently shrunk to just 0.5%.
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