- New Nissan Micra EV revealed
- Arrives late 2025
- 253-mile electric range
- Same electric underpinnings as Renault 5
The new Nissan Micra EV has arrived - but will you choose this or the Renault 5?
We ask that question because the incoming electric Micra, which goes on sale at the end of the year, is very much a companion car to the R5.
Nissan and Renault have long been industry chums and both the Micra and the Renault 5 share the same ‘AmpR’ electric platform.
So with almost identical proportions and the same max range of around 253 miles, which will win the battle of the retro city cars - and which one is going to persuade you to part with your monthly lease fee?
Exterior looks
What you’re looking at here is the sixth-generation Micra, with the first having been launched in the UK way back in 1983.
The original was a boxy, rectangular affair but it’s the bubble-shape of the second-gen Micra from the 1990s that’s most evident in this electric reboot.
Nissan says it’s a small car with a big attitude and which also has an SUV-like design, with simple and uncluttered surfaces and subtle details throughout.
Like the Micra of old, one of the most eye-catching design elements are those distinctive frog-eye headlights that protrude slightly from the bonnet. The lights even perform a ‘welcome wink’ when you lock or unlock the car.
At the side, just underneath the windows, there’s an ‘ice cream scoop’ indentation that runs from the front to the rear of the back passenger door.
The Micra EV will be available in 14 different colours, from Pure white to Mystery Black, while you can also opt for a black or grey roof.
The cabin
The interior of the Micra EV has some special nods to the car’s Japanese heritage, with a moulded outline of Mount Fuji incorporated into the storage space between the front seats.
There’s a three-spoke steering wheel, twin 10.1-inch screens, 48-colour interior ambient lighting, and a choice of fabrics depending on the trim.
Google services come built-in to the infotainment system.
While the Micra EV is compact, you still get 326 litres of luggage space (the same as the Renault 5 and more than rivals like the Peugeot E-208) with the seats in place.
Electric powertrain
As with the Renault 5, the Nissan Micra EV offers a choice of two batteries; a 40 kWh unit or a larger 52 kWh.
The smaller battery gets power of 122 PS, 225 Nm of torque and a 192-mile range.
The bigger battery unlocks a range of up to 253 miles between charges and more power at 150 PS and 245 Nm of torque.
You can expect acceleration from 0-62 mph to go by in around 7.9 seconds, which is sprightly enough.
And, again, all of that is on a par with the Renault 5 - a multiple ‘Car of the Year’ award winner.
Rapid 100 kW DC charging speeds (or 80kw on the 40kWh version) can take the energy in the battery from 15-80% in around 30 minutes.
An efficiency-boosting heat pump is fitted as standard on all models. V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) technology is also available on both battery versions, letting you power external devices from the car’s battery.
Nissan says the Micra’s suspension has been set up for a ‘smooth and hassle-free’ drive with ‘best in class’ handling and dynamics.
You get three main drive modes; Comfort, Eco and Sport, the latter of which sharpens the throttle response and steering to give more feedback. The ‘Perso’ mode allows the driver to configure the various parameters to their preferences.
You’ll also enjoy Nissan’s ‘e-Pedal’ system, which is a one-pedal driving experience where you just lift off the accelerator and let the regenerative braking bring you to a halt instead of having to stomp on the brake pedal.
Safety
While precise details of the different trim levels are still to be revealed, Nissan says the Micra will be available with the firm’s ‘ProPilot assist’ tech, which features lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control and emergency braking.
Rivals
Besides the Renault 5, the Nissan Micra will also have to contend with a bunch of other compact electric hatchbacks and crossovers. Chief of those will be the MINI Cooper Electric, Peugeot E-208, and the Hyundai Inster, while the Fiat 500e will want a say in matters, too.
Arnaud Charpentier, Region Vice President, Marketing & Mobility, Nissan AMIEO, said: “We are proud to oversee the return of the MICRA name to Nissan’s range in Europe. It’s a name with over 40 years of history and the new chapter it will write for Nissan and our customer is a purely electrified one – but it remains true to its DNA of being playful, audacious and agile. It will electrify the streets wherever it goes.”
Order books open late 2025, so watch this space.
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