Nissan Revives Pixo Nameplate for New Electric City Car

Nissan has reintroduced the Pixo nameplate for a new electric city car, reviving the moniker after more than a decade. The reborn Pixo is based on the forthcoming Renault Twingo EV and is slated to go on sale with an estimated starting price of around £18,000. This new model is positioned to complement Nissan's existing Leaf and Micra EV offerings by enhancing accessibility to electric mobility for European consumers.

The Pixo features a design language described by Nissan as a "fresh interpretation" for compact EVs, characterized by curved proportions, clean surfaces, and a confident stance. Exterior highlights include a "robot face" bumper, pixel-inspired lighting, and themed wheel designs. While sharing a foundation with the Twingo, the Pixo incorporates Nissan's distinct styling cues and will be manufactured in the same factory in Slovenia.

Inside, the Pixo is designed to accommodate four adults and offers practical features. The rear seats can slide to increase cargo versatility, and the vehicle provides 18 liters of in-cabin storage. The boot space totals 356 liters, with an additional 50 liters dedicated to cable storage, which Nissan claims is best-in-class.

Technologically, the Pixo is equipped with a 7-inch driver display and a 10-inch central touchscreen. It integrates Google services and features Gemini AI, which supports navigation, entertainment, and communication across 16 languages and dialects. The AI is designed to learn driver preferences over time. The car also includes a Face ID system that recognizes drivers to automatically load personalized settings.

The Pixo will offer an estimated range of 161 miles, powered by an all-new Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, marking the first time this battery type has been used in a Nissan model in Europe. For charging, it can achieve a 15% to 80% charge in 28 minutes using a 50kW DC rapid charger. Performance figures indicate the Pixo will have 80 bhp and 129 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 12.1 seconds.

In terms of size, the Pixo measures 3,796mm in length and 1,790mm in width, making it comparable to the Twingo. Its compact dimensions and a tight turning circle of 9.9 meters are intended to facilitate urban navigation and parking.

Key competitors for the Nissan Pixo include the Renault Twingo EV, expected to cost around £17,000 with a range of 163 miles. Other potential rivals mentioned are the Volkswagen ID.Polo, which offers a longer range of up to 281 miles, and the anticipated Citroen 2CV, which is expected to be similar in size to the Twingo and potentially priced even lower. The original Pixo was a small petrol city car sold in Britain from 2009 and was closely related to the Suzuki Alto, a significant departure from its new electric iteration.