In a sea of electric crossovers and SUVs, a good ol' sedan is a nice change of pace. However, there’s still a problem. Nissan’s new EV will be made in China exclusively for the local market. The N7 was developed with local partner Dongfeng through their 50:50 joint venture. If it weren’t for the badge, I’d honestly be hard-pressed to identify this car as a Nissan.
If the N7 already looks familiar, Dongfeng Nissan previewed the production model in April with the Epoch concept. It’s a sleek sedan that ticks all the design trend boxes in 2024: split headlights, a rear light bar, an illuminated logo, two-tone wheels, and a swoopy roofline. The LED daytime running lights send a bit of a Hyundai vibe, but the boomerang-shaped lights below give the car a unique front fascia.
Some would be tempted to say this is Nissan’s first-ever electric sedan. However, that’s not the case. The Leaf-based Sylphy Zero Emission was launched in 2018 as the company’s first EV made for the Chinese market. Just how big is the N7? At 194 inches (4930 millimeters) long and 74.6 inches (1895 millimeters) wide, it’s roughly the same size as a Volkswagen ID.7. However, it sits closer to the road, at 58.5 inches (1487 millimeters) tall. It measures 114.7 inches (2915 millimeters) between the axles, so the wheelbase is a tad shorter than the VW’s.
Nissan isn’t willing to show the interior just yet, nor is it ready to divulge technical specifications beyond the car’s measurements. We do know it sits on a locally developed modular electric architecture and will be offered with a “Navigate on Autopilot” advanced driver-assist system. Inside, the touchscreen should run smoothly courtesy of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P processor.
The N7 will go on sale in China during the first half of 2025. It’s one of several models included in Nissan’s “The Arc” midterm plan, which will allow the Dongfeng Nissan joint venture to accelerate the launch of hybrid and electric vehicles in China. This strategy calls for a total of 30 models globally by 2027, including seven vehicles for the United States.