Infiniti's Future Secured as Nissan Plans Strategic Expansion

In 2017, Infiniti reached its peak sales in the U.S. with 153,415 vehicles delivered. However, by 2024, sales had dropped significantly to 58,070 units, marking a decline of over 10%. To put this into context, Honda's Acura sold 122,600 cars last year, while Toyota's Lexus outperformed both, moving an impressive 345,669 vehicles. Despite these challenges, Nissan remains dedicated to the Infiniti brand.

During this week’s extensive product showcase, Nissan ensured that Infiniti was prominently featured. The strategy involves further distinguishing the two brands and expanding Infiniti's lineup with new models. Upcoming updates include a refreshed QX60 and a Sport variant for the QX80. Furthermore, a new QX65 crossover-coupe inspired by the FX is on the horizon. An all-electric SUV based on the Vision QXe concept is also planned for production at Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi facility.

Commitment to Infiniti’s Growth

At an event held at Nissan’s R&D center near Tokyo, Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan Americas’ chief planning officer, emphasized the company's commitment to Infiniti, stating, "Investing in vehicles like the QX80 demonstrates Nissan’s long-term dedication to the Infiniti brand. Expect to see continued growth and additions to the Infiniti lineup." Automotive News also revealed that the QX60 will adopt an electrified powertrain, though specific details on the type—whether a plug-in hybrid or Nissan’s E-Power technology—were not disclosed.

Advancements in E-Power Technology

The third-generation E-Power system has been exclusively confirmed for select Nissan models: the Qashqai in Europe, the Rogue in the U.S., and a large minivan in Japan. Similar to its predecessors, the E-Power system utilizes a gasoline engine as a generator to charge a battery, but the new 1.5-liter unit is specifically designed for this application, providing power solely to an electric motor that drives the wheels, offering an experience akin to a fully electric vehicle. Nissan claims the latest E-Power iteration is quieter, smoother, and improves fuel efficiency by 15% at higher speeds.

Accelerating Development Timelines

Nissan aims to significantly reduce the time required to develop new vehicles. Currently, engineering a new model takes approximately 55 months, according to incoming CEO Ivan Espinosa. Moving forward, the target is to cut development time to 37 months for new Nissan and Infiniti models, and 30 months for derivative versions. Espinosa attributes this acceleration to a stronger focus on platform and design sharing across models. Reuters quotes the CEO acknowledging, "We are slow. This is one of the things we have to face."

While it's uncertain if Infiniti will experience a resurgence, Nissan’s efforts indicate a strong commitment to revitalize the brand. SUVs are expected to play a central role in this strategy, although there is interest in seeing a production version of the sleek Vision Qe sedan concept materialize.