Nissan’s secret EV weapon is coming—and it’s not built in China: Report

Nissan is accelerating the development of a new small electric crossover, expected to launch in late 2026. Designed to compete with the upcoming Volkswagen ID.1, the vehicle will use cost-focused components from Renault and Dacia, two members of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, according to Auto Express.

The unnamed model will be built on the same underpinnings as the next-generation Renault Twingo and an upcoming Dacia city car. These vehicles will share at least 80 percent of their parts and are planned for assembly in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. This strategy allows Nissan to avoid new European Union tariffs on Chinese-built cars and helps keep the price of the vehicle under £20,000.

The car will be based on the Ampere Small platform, a shortened version of the one used for the Renault 5. It will use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which offer lower costs by eliminating cobalt but typically have lower energy density than traditional NMC batteries. Suppliers are expected to include CATL, operating from Hungary.

According to Renault, efficiency improvements in design and powertrain will allow the vehicle to reduce battery size requirements while targeting over 6 miles per kWh in energy efficiency. The estimated range for the Nissan model could approach 200 miles on the WLTP cycle, depending on final battery configuration.

While the Renault Twingo has a monospace-style silhouette, the Nissan model is likely to resemble the Dacia Spring more closely, featuring a two-box design, raised ride height, and crossover styling. Nissan Design Europe, based in London, is contributing to the model’s exterior.

Engineering is being handled by Renault’s EV division, Ampere. CEO Luca de Meo launched Ampere to reduce time-to-market for new EVs. The development of the Twingo reportedly took 24 months, aided by Renault’s Advanced China Development Centre, which focuses on rapid digital modeling and supplier collaboration.

Performance for the new Nissan is expected to exceed that of the current Dacia Spring, which uses a 44bhp or 64bhp motor. Likely powertrain options for the Nissan include the 94bhp and 121bhp motors from the Renault 5, which are front-wheel drive and use an electrically excited synchronous design that does not rely on rare earth materials.

Nissan’s previous involvement in Europe’s city car market includes the Pixo, sold between 2009 and 2013. The upcoming model represents a more advanced effort with a fully electric drivetrain, modern design, and shared engineering across alliance brands.