The art of Zen: Nissan Ariya
A wave of electric vehicles is upon us and Nissan plans to be part of it. Last year July, Nissan took the wraps off their all-electric Ariya. Its design and drive are set to reimagine what an electric vehicle can be. Everything from its zero-gravity seats to the horizontal, dual information displays have been designed for complete comfort.
Kyehyun Ahn, the designer responsible for the Aryia’s perfect blend between colour and materials, made her way from Korea to Japan four years ago. She had been studying the Zen influence long before she had arrived. Ahn explains “While studying design in college, I moved away from shape and towards colour to see how it influences mood in an intuitive, almost subliminal way,”. She later added, “The Ariya was my first chance to explore taking a Zen approach to not only colour, but how it coordinated with interior materials.”
It's safe to say that Ahn has embraced Nissan’s newly established Japanese DNA (J-DNA) design language with open arms and was very enthusiastic to incorporate concepts such as Ma, Iki, Kabuku, or Omotenashi into her work on the Ariya. This journey further led Ahn to try all sorts of unique colour combinations. At first, this did raise some eyebrows within her team. Ahn says “I tend to pick the main colour from a source image, like an initial render, and then add the unexpected with a complementary colour to build an interesting story.” This is what lead Ahn to pair colour opposites blue-grey leather with copper accents with the Ariya.
Ahn’s perseverance later paid off when her friends and colleagues had seen the final product at the Ariya’s global unveil. Ahn recalls this moment as being unreal, adding “Their enthusiasm and the feedback online continues to fill me with excitement and pride.”
Ahn is one of many well-renowned designers who have changed their overall perspective on what colour can be. The idea of a ‘busy’ interior contradicted the Zen philosophy that Ahn and her team were after for the Ariya too. Ahn says “By eliminating clutter, a Zen-like interior can provide a kind of ‘perfect comfort’ for the physical and inner self,”.
As more and more vehicles adapt to new types of powertrains and high levels of driver assistance, efforts to make sure the interior has its own sense of Zen have become more important. A minimalistic mindset will become a key factor as we lean towards this new wave of electric vehicles.
Also worth a look: the Nissan Rav4 and the Nissan's New Gravite MPV: A 7-Seater for South Africa?.
FAQ
Q: What does the Nissan Ariya cost in South Africa?
The Nissan Ariya starts from around R1,200,000 in South Africa, making it a premium electric SUV that competes with other luxury EVs in the market.
Q: Is the Nissan Ariya worth buying in 2024?
The Nissan Ariya is worth considering if you want a premium electric SUV with exceptional interior design and comfort, but you'll need deep pockets and patience for charging infrastructure to catch up in SA.
Q: What is the range and performance of the Nissan Ariya?
The Nissan Ariya offers up to 500km of range on a single charge and delivers around 160kW of power, providing smooth and silent acceleration typical of electric vehicles.
Q: How does the Nissan Ariya compare to other electric SUVs?
The Ariya stands out with its Zen-inspired interior design and zero-gravity seats, but faces stiff competition from the BMW iX3 and Mercedes EQC in terms of brand prestige and local support network.
Should You Buy It?
The Nissan Ariya is a maybe buy at R1,200,000 if you're an early adopter who values cutting-edge design over practicality. This electric SUV excels in comfort and style with its Zen-inspired interior and innovative materials, but South Africa's limited charging infrastructure makes it more suitable for urban dwellers with home charging setups. The best electric SUV under R1,500,000 in SA remains the BMW iX3 for its superior dealer network and resale value, but if you want something genuinely different and don't mind being a pioneer, the Ariya's artistic approach to EV design might just win you over.
