Official Infiniti LE thread - early 2017, 60 kWh

[TomT]

Yes. Isn't it funny how a person's perspective and opinions change when their job changes... One again, it shows you can't trust much of what anyone in the car business says...

I think I'd still rather go with the Tesla in that segment...

Amusing. Isn't he the same guy who a year or two ago said that people who bought electric cars were morons?

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Infinitis don't have LED headlights?

 

[edatoakrun]

First announcement I've seen of LE (eventual) production targets:

2014 LE Will Be Everyday Part Of Infiniti’s Vehicle Lineup

While electric vehicles like the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, and Ford C-Max Energi are all fine examples of what a plug-in car can do. Many consumers have been anxiety waiting to buy a more performance/luxury oriented EV from a major auto maker...

So what of Infiniti and the LE?


Nissan has big plans for the Infiniti brand, and its electric show car, which enters production at Nissan’s Smyrna, TN plant at the end of this year.

By the end of 2016, the company expects to increase overall sales of Infiniti to 500,000, with 40% of those sales coming in China.

And while the LE is not going to be a huge contributor to that figure, Andy Palmer, executive vice-president of Nissan, confirms that the LE will not onlystill be in production 4 years from now, but that Nissan projects to be selling 25,000 copies a year.

As a point of reference, 25,000 luxury LEs per year is 1,500 more plug-ins than any anyone else has sold in a year to date in the US. (Chevy sold 23,461 Volts in the US in 2012)


“It (the Infiniti LE) is not going to be a big contributor in terms of total volume, orders in a magnitude of about 25,000 units, but its part of the halo of the (Infiniti) portfolio.”

http://insideevs.com/nissan-has-big-plans-for-luxury-electric-infiniti-le-will-not-be-a-niche-product/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[evnow]

Old ... still, interesting.

Infiniti LE, from Concept to EV

An Inside Look at the Design of Infiniti's Upcoming All-Electric Luxury Sedan

http://www.motortrend.com/future/concept_vehicles/1207_infiniti_le_from_concept_to_ev/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Ultimately all of our market research indicated that a sedan is the car that most consumers want in a luxury EV," said Denise Barfuss, a senior manager for Infiniti marketing. "If you look at the market for green vehicles, nearly all of our competition has a hatchback because of the favorable aerodynamics and space in a compact footprint. Even our sister car, the Leaf, is a hatchback. But as a luxury marque, our choice of a sedan platform was more purposeful."

 

[motornature]

The LE concept is at the Geneva motor show, but it looks like a niche product there, and the star is the new Q50 diesel. No one shall doubt that they are committed to EVs but they know what sells.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

The LE concept is at the Geneva motor show, but it looks like a niche product there, and the star is the new Q50 diesel. No one shall doubt that they are committed to EVs but they know what sells.

Wanna bet Shiga-san told the LE team to go into a room and not come out until they find a way to squeeze 40kWh into the thing?

 

[Boomer23]

Tail lights on the new Infiniti Q50 look just like the ones on the LE Concept:

http://instagram.com/p/ZR3pw3gDSB/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomMoloughney]

I'd love to get some new details on the LE. Nissan has been very tight lipped and the car is supposedly less than a year from launch. Perhaps they are planning to premier it at the Tokyo Motor Show in the fall.

 

[edatoakrun]

I'd love to get some new details on the LE. Nissan has been very tight lipped and the car is supposedly less than a year from launch. Perhaps they are planning to premier it at the Tokyo Motor Show in the fall.

I asked Craig Pike (Nissan Technical Center North America, Arizona) about the LE at the April BayLEAFs meeting.

http://sfbayleafs.org/past-events/2013/04/april-members-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

His reply, IIRC (anyone have a link to the video?) was that the LE had not reached Arizona test track yet, and that the testing schedule keeps being pushed back.

My own suspicion is that the price/battery capacity/production level questions were (or still are being) re-evaluated, given the widening gap between the LEAF and other <$30,000 (net incentives) BEVs and the premium/luxury EV/PHEV market, due to the apparent abandonment of the < $50,000 price level by Tesla and GM (Cadillac).

 

[evnow]

My own suspicion is that the price/battery capacity/production level questions were (or still are being) re-evaluated, given the widening gap between the LEAF and other <$30,000 (net incentives) BEVs and the premium/luxury EV/PHEV market, due to the apparent abandonment of the < $50,000 price level by Tesla and GM (Cadillac).

Let us see

High end Leaf : $30k (post tax credit)

Low end S : $62k (post tax credit)

That is a large $32k gap. Infiniti may not even worry about the low volume Rav 4 EV that is in the middle.

So, the main competitor will be the BMW i3. But, i3 has the "REx" trumpcard (apart from the brand name). Infiniti, though, will be the size and form factor Americans like. They need to make LE competitive in terms of range & price to seal the deal.

 

[Boomer23]

So, the main competitor will be the BMW i3. But, i3 has the "REx" trumpcard (apart from the brand name). Infiniti, though, will be the size and form factor Americans like. They need to make LE competitive in terms of range & price to seal the deal.

Range, price AND performance. I'm expecting i3 to be a rather fun performer, so the LE needs to step up in that regard. Starting with a presumably front drive platform puts Infiniti at a bit of a disadvantage there from the get-go IMHO, but a lot of that is probably personal bias and preference rather than real world handling differences, considering that neither of these two cars is going to be a handling standout.

 

[evnow]

Range, price AND performance. I'm expecting i3 to be a rather fun performer, so the LE needs to step up in that regard. Starting with a presumably front drive platform puts Infiniti at a bit of a disadvantage there from the get-go IMHO, but a lot of that is probably personal bias and preference rather than real world handling differences, considering that neither of these two cars is going to be a handling standout.

It seems to me i3 is marketed mainly to suburban moms in the US - so performance may not be that high on the list of things. Not sure what the target of LE is ...

 

[edatoakrun]

Good luck with that...

...The new Infiniti will have a completely different exterior and interior from the Nissan hatchback and it will be used to showcase induction technology, which does away with charging cables.

“The whole concept of not having to couple up cables to a plug socket, dragging them on the ground and on you as you go, is in keeping with luxury motoring,” said Infiniti boss Andy Palmer.

“It is this technology we want to shine a light on, so while there is no world standard on methods, the roll-out will be dependent on region.”

Infiniti is currently pushing for car makers to develop induction technology on an open source basis, rather than individually investing in their own systems.

http://www.electric-vehiclenews.com/2013/05/infiniti-working-on-luxury-nissan-leaf.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You think that GM might delay the process, then after the LE's introduction, get the SAE to endorse a non-compatible inductive standard, and announce the production of a tiny number of "inductive-compliance" BEVs using the new "industry standard", and extrude FUD that Nissan's standard will be superseded?

Nah. Even GM wouldn't do something that foul...

 

[TomMoloughney]

Infinity is delaying the LE : http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/06/infiniti-electric-car-put-on-hold.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Drivesolo]

Infinity is delaying the LE : http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/06/infiniti-electric-car-put-on-hold.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not surprising. I'm sure that they're taking the upcoming Tesla Model X into serious consideration. The 24kWh batt from a Leaf will definitely not cut it. Nissan is going to have to come up w/ a way of at least doubling that capacity to even be a consideration by most shoppers in that market segment, assuming the Model X will come w/ the 60 & 85 KWh batts.

 

[TomT]

This may be part of the reason: "... but Infiniti sales were down 25% in May."

Unless something dramatic happens in the next 18 months or so, my next EV will definitely be a Tesla.

Infinity is delaying the LE : http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/06/infiniti-electric-car-put-on-hold.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Sublime]

Infinity is delaying the LE : http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/06/infiniti-electric-car-put-on-hold.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not surprising. I'm sure that they're taking the upcoming Tesla Model X into serious consideration. The 24kWh batt from a Leaf will definitely not cut it. Nissan is going to have to come up w/ a way of at least doubling that capacity to even be a consideration by most shoppers in that market segment, assuming the Model X will come w/ the 60 & 85 KWh batts.

I agree, Tesla has really raised the ante for entering the market against them with the supercharger network rollout plan.

In 2015, the network is planned to be complete. Allowing you to buy a $60k - $80k (maybe cheaper by then as they ramp up production/lower battery cost) luxury EV that can actually go across the country with little inconvenience. Assuming Nissan/Infiniti doesn't have a similar infrastructure, what price point could they charge for an EV that is only a commuter car? $40k seems like a really tough sell to me. Add the Gen3 to the mix and it threatens even a steadily cost reduced LEAF.

 

[MrIanB]

That sucks but, can the LE be the next updated 2015/2016 Leaf at a lower price??/

Ian B

 

[evnow]

Infinity is delaying the LE : http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/06/infiniti-electric-car-put-on-hold.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not surprising. I'm sure that they're taking the upcoming Tesla Model X into serious consideration.

I doubt it has anything to do with Model X - very different animals.

Probably more to do with
- Cooling the pack ?
- New battery tech not ready ?
- As the Infiniti boss says, may be not enough money.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Given their goal of increasing sales one would think they stand to sell more with the LE in their model lineup than without, but they have likely concluded that for the same investment they can add some other model or take other actions that increase sales (and profit) more.