Nissan Ariya Single Seater Concept Is Formula E Car For The Road

Just a few weeks ago, Nissan started accepting orders for the all-electric Ariya in the United States with prices starting at $45,950. Deliveries will begin next fall, but the Japanese company has something way more exciting to ease the wait. Folks, meet the Ariya Single Seater Concept, the electric crossover’s spiritual alter ego.

As you can see from the attached gallery below, the study takes the shape of a futuristic sports car with just a single seat. Nissan describes it as “a high-performance exploration, development, and demonstration project” which proposes another application for the Ariya’s electric powertrain.

Presented at the Nissan Futures event, the concept uses the same electric system as the production crossover. Unfortunately, the automaker doesn’t reveal its actual specification, though we assume it’s the most powerful iteration of that system, which generates 389 horsepower (290 kilowatts), 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) in the Ariya. All variants of the Ariya rely on an 87-kWh battery pack and the range-topping Platinum+ e-4ORCE AWD trim has a dual-motor setup.

As for the design, it’s a mix between some of the Ariya’s lines and cues from Nissan’s participation in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The design team behind the project was inspired by the electric crossover’s “fluid and efficient surfaces,” and in general, the Single Seater Concept “looks like it was shaped by the air itself.”

“At Nissan, we dare to do what others don’t,” Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan global marketing divisional general manager for brand and engagement, explains. “With this concept, we want to showcase the high-performance potential of the Ariya’s powertrain in a motorsports-inspired package that not only hints at the design and styling of the road car that inspired it, but that also demonstrates a new and efficient EV performance language.”