Two electric Nissan vehicles attracted large audiences at the recent Shanghai Auto Show. A similar reaction wouldn’t be surprising in the United States either.
This was one of the things I realized quite rapidly when working with the system.
Shanghai Auto Show
Last week: A great deal can be gleaned from observing which cars and brands attract the most attention from the audience.
After all, this event stands out as the premier automotive trade fair (with its biennial equivalent in Beijing) within the globe’s most extensive new vehicle market, which is overwhelmingly driven by top-tier electric cars and plug-in hybrid models. This sector remains fiercely competitive. Each participating firm must present its strongest offerings. Nevertheless, despite these efforts, Chinese consumers, media representatives, technical experts, business leaders, and trendsetters tend to focus solely on nothing but the crème de la crème among them.
That cool new Buick
We wished we had something like that in the U.S. The area stood deserted, just like Lincoln’s. Yet, right next to Lincoln’s place, people were actually lining up to go inside.
Li Auto Mega
, an electric van that has been available for purchase for a year now. This situation doesn’t stem from nationalism; many Chinese brands have also found it difficult to gain recognition. Given how extensive this automobile market is, some players will inevitably succeed while others may falter.
That’s why I was deeply shocked during my visit over those two days to witness such significant attention focused on Nissan’s products. Indeed, Nissan—the brand that often makes news solely due to its perceived imminent decline.
However, both the Chinese audience present at the event and Western participants like me were captivated by the lineup of Nissan vehicles on display: multiple instances of their models.
Nissan N7
all-electric sedan, and one in vivid yellow
Nissan Frontier Pro PHEV
, which was first showcased in Shanghai. When I visited the exhibition over those two days, both vehicles attracted quite a crowd.
Kevin Williams and I were curious, why on earth aren’t these available in the United States? We believe they’d attract just as much interest here.
Images of the Nissan N7 and the Nissan Frontier PHEV Pick-up Truck showcased at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Expo.
Let’s begin with the Nissan N7. It was unveiled to the public a few months back, but it had been showcased globally a full year prior under another designation.
Nissan Epoch Concept
It will be available for purchase in China shortly via Nissan’s partnership with their local collaborator, Dongfeng. In terms of specifications, it doesn’t offer anything particularly groundbreaking. The vehicle comes equipped with either a 58 kWh or a 73 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, providing ranges of approximately 316 miles (510 kilometers) and 388 miles (625 kilometers), respectively, along with an output of up to 268 horsepower. Despite boasting impressive aerodynamics with a drag coefficient of only 0.208 Cd, it utilizes a more conventional 400-volt electric-vehicle platform.
The N7 does provide a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which supports high-quality software features desired by Chinese consumers, such as DeepSeek AI integration. Overall, this model serves more like an upper-mid-range electric vehicle within China’s highly advanced automotive market; nonetheless, not every car has to redefine standards with revolutionary performance akin to a supercar.
Images of the Nissan N7 and the Nissan Frontier PHEV Pickup Truck showcased at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show.
However, the N7 boasts one significant advantage: it looks stunning. While somewhat conventional in a market where numerous new electric vehicles feature streamlined designs for optimal airflow and slim LED headlights for energy efficiency, it appears rather attractive when seen in reality. It seems the audience at Shanghai shared this sentiment as well; visitors queued up to capture videos, snap photographs, and explore the interior.
Images of the Nissan N7 and the Nissan Frontier PHEV Pickup Truck showcased at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show.
It’s arguably at its best here. The cabin has a design that seems like what we might have ended up with if Nissan had continued competing with Tesla rather than…well,
performing whatever task it was supposed to do instead of that
In front of the driver, you’ll find a display, along with a bigger tablet integrated into the dashboard. The interior features soft-touch materials available in cream white and navy—a popular color combination in China—alongside an abundance of buttons and switches to steer clear of extreme minimalism.
This electric vehicle is quite appealing. It seems poised to compete well against the Tesla Model 3 in the American market, though it doesn’t have the same high performance capabilities. However, as Kevin pointed out, “Why aren’t these being manufactured in Smyrna using US-compliant batteries and software? Americans would love driving this.” I concur with his sentiment.
Images of the Nissan N7 and the Nissan Frontier PHEV Pick-Up Truck showcased at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show.
However, the true feeling of FOMO arises with the Frontier Pro PHEV. In China, the pickup truck segment isn’t particularly large; these vehicles are mostly used for business purposes and frequently face restrictions preventing them from accessing various areas.
elevated freeways
This new Frontier is among multiple new truck models attempting to make their mark, and considering this is China, it’s an electric truck—the first for Nissan. (It’s remarkable how a company that has been at the forefront of electrified vehicles is only now starting to add batteries to its trucks during the mid-2020s, yet here we stand.)
Images of the Nissan N7 and the Nissan Frontier PHEV Pick-up Truck showcased at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Expo.
The Frontier Pro PHEV features a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an undisclosed battery capacity, which provides up to 6 kilowatts of power. This model can travel approximately 84 miles (135 kilometers) using only electric power—a figure derived from China’s lenient test standards but still likely outperforming numerous plug-in hybrid vehicles available today. The vehicle is essentially a rebadged version of the Dongfeng Z9. However, Nissan has drawn inspiration from its past by incorporating a front grille and general styling reminiscent of the classic 1980s Nissan D21 hardbody pickup.
Nissan Hardbody/Frontier Pro
I understand that this is our present reality of
tariffs
and
software bans
And restrictions on battery components make imported Chinese vehicles like this unfeasible. However, similar to numerous electric cars and plug-in hybrids I’ve tested recently, it seems that the U.S. market is overlooking an opportunity by not offering these models—or at least, these types of vehicles from Nissan.
In the end, I can’t help but hope that things could have turned out differently—perhaps with Nissan continuing to invest in models such as the Leaf or the Altima Hybrid, and finding a path to maintain their leadership in electric vehicles. While the exact models might differ, similar alternatives would surely be available. On the other hand, here at home, Nissan doesn’t offer anything for American consumers looking for those kinds of options.
except the usual excuses
And… what about the Kicks? Perhaps the Ariya? It seems like there are pricier crossover models, more abandoned electric vehicle initiatives, and even more explanations being offered.
Supposedly, Nissan has some
significant restructuring initiatives being developed
For both the U.S. market and international arenas, I understand that updated versions of Dongfeng cars probably won’t feature prominently in these ambitious plans. However, should attractive and competitively priced Nissan electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) win over consumers in China, just think about the potential achievements if the company committed fully to an actual electrification plan and succeeded at last.
Contact the author:
patrick.george@insideevs.com
More Nissan News
- Nissan officially discontinues two electric sedans intended for the U.S. market.
- The Nissan Frontier PHEV You’ve Been Waiting For Has Arrived
- Nissan Aims for an Exclusive City Electric Vehicle for Europe
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- Nissan’s Laser-Based Driver Aid Technology Will Launch in 2027
- Nissan’s Solid-State Battery Is Expected to Reach Market by 2028: ‘That’s What We Aim For’
- What We Lack Speed”: Insights Gained by Nissan from China
- Nissan’s Upcoming Hybrids Will Be EREVs Instead
