Nissan's Future EVs to Focus on Interior Design

Nissan hasn’t committed to a particular electric car exterior design strategy, but one hallmark of the Japanese brand’s future EVs will be spacious interiors.

The brand’s executive design director, Satoru Tai, told Automotive News in a Saturday report that a “spaciousness” will be present thanks to electric cars’ layouts. He followed up his comments by saying, “It’s not about exterior styling.”

Tai believes exterior design won’t be the major challenge for electric cars since the style can adapt to different segments. But the interior will be a real place for designers to shine. Without an engine at the front, engineers and designers can spread out the cockpit, and without a transmission tunnel, the floor can lay totally flat.

As for instrumentation, less is more, said Tai.

“We want to create an EV-unique expression,” he said.

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The executive spoke of simple dashboards and bountiful space, and no doubt does his love for roomy commercial vehicles inspire his comments. According to the report, Tai owns a Caravan minivan. However, designers haven’t agreed on how exactly to accomplish the overall interior ethos.

One potential avenue is the Nissan IMx Concept concept. The cabin features an incredibly airy feel with a large window blending into a woodgrain dashboard. As Tai described, the floor is completely flat with plenty of space for passengers.

We’ll certainly see how the executive’s comments translate to production. Nissan has plans for eight new electric cars in the near future, and the Japanese brand hopes to sell one million electrified cars by 2023.

A version of this story originally appeared on Hybrid Cars

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