Nissan Skyline to Debut As An Electric SUV, Could be Launched in 2025

Popular Japanese carmaker Nissan has apparently frozen the development of their long-standing Skyline sedan. Instead, Nissan is reportedly planning to use the iconic Skyline name on a future electric SUV, according to a report.

This decision marks a significant shift in the approach of Nissan as the Skyline nameplate dates back to 1957, even before it became known as a Nissan.

Nissan is currently working on the next generation of the Skyline, and the new vehicles will be developed on either the electric Ariya crossover or its CMF-EV platform, The Drive reported, quoting Japanese publication Best Car. The SUV is expected to make its debut sometime in 2025. The new Skyline e-SUV is expected to be pretty powerful, with over 450 horsepower and an all-wheel drive system using multiple motors. The exact details on whether it will be equipped with a twin-motor or quad-motor are still unclear.

According to Best Car, re-launching Skyline as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) crossover seems like a smart move as it aligns with the growing automotive industry trends. Considering how well Ford’s Mustang Mach-E did, it could be a great model for Nissan to follow, especially for a revised version of their performance icon.

While the new Skyline e-SUV might not make it to the US, there’s a chance they might see something similar from Nissan’s luxury brand under the Infiniti badge.

Nissan’s shift towards electric vehicles is not the only one. Notably, this approach mirrors that of another Japanese automobile giant, Toyota. The automaker recently made an announcement saying that it plans to transform its Crown Sedan into a body style of an SUV. This development can allow both Nissan and Toyota to take advantage of the market trends as SUVs are seeing growth in their popularity in many major markets across the world.

The latest Skyline sedan was basically a rebadged Infiniti Q50. Infiniti is halting the production of their sedans, and now they’re into SUVs too. Q50, at present, remains the sole sedan offering in Infiniti’s line-up, alongside other luxury compact sedans like Genesis G70, Lexus IS and Acura TLX.