Nissan executives have confirmed that the company is working on a new plug-in hybrid vehicle after the Renault-Nissan Alliance acquired a 34 per cent stake in Mitsubishi.
Prior to the deal, Nissan was steaming ahead with fully electric vehicles, but with the availability of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, could borrow some of its technologies in creating a new PHEV.
Speaking with Auto Express, Nissan’s European research and development boss Takashi Shirakawa said: “Our current priority is to shift into EVs for the future, but we still need a bridge. We are now working on a plug-in hybrid solution for Europe. We welcomed Mitsubishi Motors into the Nissan family, and they already have the Outlander PHEV. The next-generation product range may be shared with that, but this is just the beginning of the discussion as nothing has been decided yet.”
The executive wouldn’t disclose what shape a new Nissan PHEV will take, but he did leave a hint: “Most customers are keen to have a smaller EV. We recognize this, and we’re already thinking about how to solve these customer issues with next-generation EV technology.”
Note: Nissan Gripz hybrid concept picutred
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