Electric Nissan Navara possible within three years – report

An electric Nissan Navara may be a reality by 2026, and its development is being spurred on by an unlikely candidate – full-size American pick-ups.

Respected industry journal Automotive News reports pressure from the company's dealers in the US has led Nissan to explore the possibility of an electric Navara-sized ute – referred to as a "lightweight electric pick-up" – for the North American market.

Nissan currently offers a Navara-sized ute in the US with petrol power, known as the Frontier – but it is a heavily-revised version of the 15-year-old D40 Navara, which was replaced by an all-new model in Australia almost a decade ago.

If Nissan decides to proceed with an electric Frontier – and base it on a petrol-powered vehicle – it is more likely to be based on the next Frontier, which confidential plans reported by Drive in January revealed will be a renamed, US-built version of Australia's next-generation Nissan Navara, due in US showrooms in late 2025.

With the Nissan Navara sold in Australia and Frontier sold in the US to once again be the same vehicle, it could pave the way for a right-hand-drive version of the electric ute – if it was to be built – to be made available in Australia.

According to Automotive News, Nissan may be looking to the Frontier as the basis for an electric ute segment, as there do not appear to be plans for Nissan to replace the Titan – its full-size pick-up designed to compete against the Ford F-150.

Nissan could be the first mainstream car maker to offer an electric ute in the Navara-sized class – as Ford, General Motors, and Ram have all unveiled electric pick-ups in the segment above.

"The Frontier Hardbody has been a part of Nissan's brand for decades," Nissan US Dealer Advisory Board Chairman Tyler Slade told Automotive News.

"It's logical to bring an electric version."

MORE: New Nissan Navara ute due next year – exclusive

The factory where Nissan currently builds the Frontier is receiving more than half a billion dollars of investment to enable the facility to begin manufacturing electric vehicles by 2025 – or roughly the same time the next-generation Frontier-badged Navara is due to begin production at the same plant.

"[Pick-up] trucks typically get the worst gas mileage," Mr Slade said, "so, making them electric will reduce operating costs."

Closer to home, an electric Navara could follow a hybrid model of some description, with a September 2022 report by Drive suggesting hybrid technology is being considered for the new-generation Navara, expected in 2025.