Nissan’s Infiniti Unit Ponders First EV

Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti luxury brand tells Bloomberg News it expects to develop an electric vehicle and debut it in China. But the company hasn't yet decided when to move ahead.

Infiniti current markets five SUV/crossover and four sedan models in China. Three of the offerings are hybrids, but the brand has no all-electric vehicles in its lineup. The company showed an LE concept EV in 2012. But it has delayed work on a pure electric model, focusing instead on hybrid powertrains that offer longer range.

But Infiniti President Roland Krueger tells Bloomberg News that the company discusses the merit and timing of EVs “constantly.” He says China is “definitely” a target market for an EV. He also notes that the company could tap the technical expertise of Nissan and Renault to create its first EV very quickly.

Infiniti’s sales in China are up only 2% this year compared with 7% growth worldwide, Reuters says. It notes that the company will introduce its QX30 small crossover in China in November. The model is equipped with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine designed to qualify for a China's small-vehicle tax cut.