Nissan unveils PHEV Frontier in Shanghai

NISSAN unveiled two new vehicles at the Shanghai motor show, rolling out a long-range electric sedan and a plug-in hybrid ute that could succeed the Navara if it arrives Down Under.

The Frontier Pro ute will be the first PHEV offered by the Japanese automaker, said to apply Nissan’s latest powertrain technology to its proven ute experience, harking all the way back to the Datsun 12 Pickup in 1933, which predated even the Nissan name that was first used in 1937.

Pictured with its mid-80s D21 Navara forefather in the promotional material, the new Frontier Pro has been built around a design language Nissan calls “Rugged Tech”, suggesting the incoming model could be work- and adventure-ready.

The styling is suggested to mimic the D21 Navara, with the Frontier Pro featuring a reimagined front grille and headlight design reminiscent of the old runner’s.

What we know so far is that the Frontier Pro will ride on off-road suitable 18-inch wheels, shod with 265/65 rubber, underpinned by a five-link rear-end and “intelligent all-wheel drive” system.

It will also feature an electromechanical locking rear differential, again hinting at its clear off-road focus.

According to Nissan, the Frontier Pro will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, helped along by a transmission-mounted electric motor, producing combined outputs of 300kW/800Nm.

The system will offer four drive modes, including hybrid, performance, snow and pure-electric with a targeted EV range of around 135km. Further proof of its work-and-play readiness is a vehicle-to-load port capable of supplying up to 6kW of power.

While not yet confirmed for Australia, Nissan did confirm that the Frontier Pro will launch in China “before the end of the year” and said it will be exported to other markets, promising a future announcement.

Nissan also previewed its all-new Dongfeng Nissan N7 – a joint venture between Nissan and Donfeng Motor Group – which will go on-sale in China this month but has not yet been confirmed for overseas markets. 

The N7 is a sleek, super-slippery (how does a 0.208 drag coefficient sound?) sedan that offers a range of up to 635km.

Underpinning the elegant sedan is a 400-volt architecture that makes use of either a 58kWh or 73kWh battery and electric motor producing up to 200kW/305Nm, with drive sent to the front wheels only.

The model is expectedly tech-rich and appears luxury-leaning, with features like an AI-based “adaptive posture system” and Momenta-powered “Navigate on Autopilot" autonomous driving system. 

Both models will form part of the nine-model new energy vehicle (NEV) lineup that Nissan plans to launch in China “by summer 2027”, in a bid to compete in the hotly contested overseas market.