Nissan Sakura EV and Mitsubishi eK X EV kei cars

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cwerdna

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It's a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_car. Pointer to press conference at https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=622146#p622146.

Press release: https://global.nissannews.com/en/releases/nissan-unveils-all-new-all-electric-minivehicle-in-japan
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a40061121/nissan-sakura-ev-japan-details/

Apparently, it's a JV with Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi version is the eK X EV (pronounced eK cross EV) per https://global.nissannews.com/en/releases/release-62f323df4b615e03378855c9050378f6.
 
Nissan stops taking orders of Sakura EV, X-Trail in Japan (from Nov 2, 2022)
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nissan-stops-taking-orders-sakura-ev-x-trail-japan-2022-11-03/
TOKYO, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) has temporarily stopped taking new orders of its recently unveiled light electric vehicles (EVs) because of prolonged delivery periods of a year or more, a Nissan spokesperson said on Thursday.

The Japanese automaker stopped taking orders of the Sakura, fully electric micro "kei" cars, at the end of the month, the spokesperson said. The company announced the suspension on its website on Tuesday and it is unclear when it will resume taking orders.
...
The Japanese automaker unveiled the Sakura, its first jointly developed light EV with alliance partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T), in May and said in July it had attracted orders of 23,000 units, exceeding the total number of battery-driven EVs sold by all companies in Japan last year.

Nissan said in August it would stop taking new orders for the Leaf EV currently sold in the domestic market in late September.
 
It’s too bad someone doesn’t put a block under the accelerator and Import the Sakura EV as an NEV here in the us

AT USD $12000 people might buy them for city use.
 
I spent the summer in Japan with family and saw them too. They are the most popular EV in Japan. There were also several LEAFs in my families neighborhood as I walked around. While I have converted my wife who now thinks gas is stinky and gross the rest of the family is still driving ICE sadly. Kei cars are taxed less and cheap so we even have them. They do not meet the safety requirements for the US market as I think you know. I knew some people who took a Sakura on a road trip needing a couple fast charges and it did not have the heat problem the same person had with an older LEAF which I thought was interesting. I have driven kei cars but not the Sakura.

While expensive EVs are fine what we really need is plenty of cheap EV options for regular people to buy. That is what is so great about the Sakura in Japan. To a degree the LEAF has been that for the US as has the Bolt I admit but I would like to see one even cheaper like the cheap hatchbacks of old but that may not be possible with US safety standards these days.

Sakura means cherry blossom and has nothing to do with a kids show you may be watching danrjones.
 
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112 miles of range is inadequate when you live in a city that has moved their airport to the boonies. As in Denver. A Leaf 40kwh is the minimum vehicle that could get me to & from DEN without a charging stop, considering that the trip will need a functional heater, and allowance for battery capacity loss in winter conditions.
 
I live in unincorperated Littleton these days so yes I am some distance from the Denver airport. How often do you go to the airport? The money saved buying a $14000 car could be used for uber or the A line (train). Being in Colorado my bigger concern is recreating in the mountains or other road trips so in my Colorado home a Sakura could be a second car for going to the office or shopping, at points I may even go once a week so rentals would not make sense.
 
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