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Australia’s fast-growing plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute market will likely be joined by yet one more member in 2027, when the Nissan Frontier Professional arrives Down Underneath.
As reported by Carsales right this moment after which independently confirmed by CarExpert vendor sources, Nissan Australia introduced and confirmed the native launch of the Frontier Professional at a gala dinner attended by its sellers final evening in Adelaide – the day after the worldwide reveal of the new-generation, Mitsubishi Triton-based Navara ute within the Adelaide Hills.
Media was not invited to the occasion and Nissan Australia is but to make a public announcement concerning the Frontier Professional’s native launch; nor would it not reply to our request for touch upon the matter right this moment.
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Nevertheless, Nissan Australia has beforehand stated the Frontier Professional, which was developed by its father or mother firm’s Chinese language joint-venture accomplice Dongfeng, was into consideration for this market, the place the PHEV pickup would give the Japanese model a two-pronged ute lineup.
Nissan Oceania managing director Andrew Humberstone has lengthy indicated it will be an “absolute match” in Nissan’s native vary, the place the low-emissions ute would offset CO2 emissions of the diesel-powered Navara amid the New Automobile Effectivity Customary (NVES)
“I see no drawback with that working in parallel to new Navara,” he advised CarExpert in Could.
“It’s about ‘does the enterprise case work?’ I believe it takes about six months to get right-hand drive. I believe it may probably work for the market.
“What we’ve been advised formally – it is a three way partnership with Dongfeng, clearly – the automotive is on the market for export, we’re one of many markets which might be thought-about. I believe it might be a really attention-grabbing product for us to take a look at. I believe it may completely match.”
The Frontier Professional won’t solely give Nissan a direct rival for the favored BYD Shark 6, in addition to the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and Ford Ranger PHEV, however numerous different PHEVs anticipated to reach right here by 2027.
These embody Chery Australia’s first ute, which is predicted to be based mostly on the Rely KP3X and powered by a diesel-electric PHEV system, and the JAC T9 PHEV, which has been confirmed for native launch in early 2026.
A number of all-electric utes are additionally set to hitch the pioneering LDV eT60 on sale right here, together with the KGM Musso EV (in December), the Toyota HiLux BEV (2026), and the LDV eTerron 9 and Isuzu D-Max EV (TBC), amongst others.
Revealed on the Shanghai motor present in April, the Frontier Professional relies on Dongfeng’s Z9 ute relatively than the outgoing D40 Navara-derived Frontier pickup offered within the US.
As Nissan’s first PHEV mannequin globally and its first electrified ute, it’s powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a transmission-mounted electrical motor, for whole system outputs of 300kW of energy and 800Nm of torque.
Nissan claims EV vary of 135km on the CLTC cycle, and gasoline consumption of 6.9L/100km.
Automobile-to-load (V2L) functionality provides as much as 6kW of energy and permits you to energy electrical home equipment through retailers within the tub.
Braked towing capability is 3500kg – matching the Navara – whereas wading depth is 700mm and off-road functionality must also eclipse that of the Shark 6 because of an electro-mechanically locking rear differential.
The Frontier Professional provides selectable hybrid, electrical, efficiency and snow drive modes, five-link rear suspension, and comes customary with four-wheel drive and 18-inch alloy wheels sporting 265/65 R18 tyres.
Inside, there’s a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and the choice of heated, ventilated and massanging entrance seats, plus a panoramic sunroof.
Nissan Australia’s most superior ute ever may additionally give its gross sales a much-needed enhance. To this point this 12 months its gross sales are down 17.7 per cent, and it has dropped out of the highest 10 record of auto manufacturers.
However it hopes to show that round by 2027 with a cavalcade of recent fashions beginning with the D27 Navara in early 2026, updates for the X-Path and Qashqai SUVs later subsequent 12 months, the all-new Patrol in early 2027, and probably a bunch of different new fashions through Dongfeng.
In the identical method that Mazda is leveraging its Chinese language accomplice to ship the Mazda 6e electrical liftback to Australia, Nissan may ultimately provide a spread of Dongfeng fashions right here.
This might embody the N6 PHEV sedan and N7 electrical sedan, returning Nissan Australia to the sedan market, and a spread of electrified SUVs with one probably being based mostly on the Frontier Professional.
MORE: Nissan confirms 5 new fashions for Australia throughout the subsequent two years
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