With China now the biggest market in the world for electric cars, Infiniti appears ready to enter the EV race with a vehicle designed for the Chinese consumer.
The brand’s president, Roland Krueger, implied as much in an interview with Bloomberg News.
Infiniti EV concept
Infiniti EV concept
Infiniti EV concept
Infiniti EV concept
“When I think about EV, we design it for China definitely, even as the first market to launch,” he said. “We are discussing this internally constantly what is the right timing for Infiniti to have such vehicle.”
After China, one would imagine the vehicle would then be brought to other markets around the globe.
Infiniti, the luxury arm of Japan’s Nissan, already has nine models on sale in China, with three of those being hybrid models. The automaker sells five SUVs and four sedans.
Krueger said Infiniti would be in a position to quickly bring an electric car to market since it would rely on the expertise of parent Nissan, which has the Leaf, and partner Renault.
Infiniti unveiled a concept electric car in 2012, known as the LE, but has delayed production of that model. The focus has been on hybrids, which has better range, Krueger said.
The Chinese government is making major investments in charging infrastructure in the country and is offering subsidies for those who purchase electric cars, which explains why the market has grown quickly and overtaken the United States for EVs.