Hyperdrive
The $15,000 EV Is Here and It’s Cute. But Only in Japan for Now
- Nissan, Mitsubishi make first major push with new mini EV
- Popular minicar segment is seen as challenging to electrify
The Nissan Sakura electric mini vehicle
Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. unveiled two new electric mini vehicles, betting consumers will embrace a battery-powered take on the well-loved class of tiny, affordable Japanese cars.
Marking a key push into an less-served part of the EV market that could help spur wider adoption, the chiefs of the two carmakers took the wraps off Nissan’s Sakura and Mitsubishi’s eK X EV on Friday. The two small, boxy EVs are set to go on sale in Japan this summer at a starting price of less than $15,000.