. Nissan didn’t want to update a major model while it was revving up EV production.
That’s all well and good, but the supplier suspects that there’s more to the rejigging of the schedule than meets the eye. If the EV transition is going well, they suspectmay decide to phase out the internal combustion Frontier in 2029, and reintroduce it as an electric vehicle in 2030. Meanwhile, keeping the profitable ICE truck on dealer lots a little longer could help pay for the expensive changeover to electric vehicle production. Nissan is investing $500 million into its Canton plant in order to get four EVs rolling through the production line.
Delaying the launch of the next Frontier to 2030 may also give the automaker a chance to iron out any production wrinkles before getting an EV into the competitive and highly profitable mid-size pickup segment.in 2021. The small pickup hints at what dealers believe the automaker’s strategy will be: an affordable electric truck that focuses on mainstream affordability and visibility for the brand.
Finally, if Nissan waits until 2030 to produce an electric Frontier, it may be able to take advantage of solid-state battery technology, which would allow it to be lighter, go farther, and charge faster, making it an attractive vehicle for a number of reasons.