Bjørn Nyland has put many automobiles to the test by driving them 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) throughout Norway. Earlier he did a range test run on the smaller battery pack variant of Ariya.
His most recent YouTube video was of him testing the Nissan Ariya with the 87 kWh battery pack. The EV could beat its 63 kWh variant by only 15 minutes but didn’t do as well as the Tesla Model X–the leader of Bjorn’s testing report card.
The 2023 Nissan Ariya SUV, set to be released in fall 2022, will offer a fresh new take on the electric vehicle line by Nissan. Its design also represents a shift from current models; while the earlier EV hatchback version of Leaf has sharp, angular lines, the new Ariya has rounded-more softer edges.
The driving range on a full charge maxes out to about 300 miles which is significantly higher than its predecessor model Leaf, which only offers 226 miles maximum. Let’s find out how Ariya performed on Bjørn Nyland’s 1000km test run.
Nissan Ariya Range Test
Bjørn Nyland is a well-known name in the electric vehicle world. He’s done extensive testing of Tesla vehicles, and his latest project is a 1000km range test of the Nissan Ariya 87 kWh.
Bjørn is no stranger to long-distance driving, as he’s driven many other EVs across Europe before. This time, however, he wanted to see if he could push the limits of the car’s range with the extended battery size.
To do this, Bjørn drove the Ariya from his home in Norway to the southernmost tip of Sweden. Along the way, he made sure to stop and charge the car regularly, so that he could keep going for as long as possible. Bjørn also keeps his trustable companion on such test rides at the back, the Eco flow, and a toaster along with a bag of food.
Bjorn starts late at night by charging it to full and notices that the Ariya 87 kWh still takes around 2.3-kilowatt charge on 100% with 368 km on the estimated range. He points out how good soundproofing is done on the Ariya cruising through the wet roads. He says that he could barely hear the sound of water splashing under the vehicle comparing it to Tesla cars.
Tesla EVs make hissing sounds that actually are significantly high-frequency cabin sounds. Ariya does great in achieving and maintaining impeccable silence inside the car. He had to struggle through non-working as well as some faulty chargers along his journey that added some unnecessary time as much as 26 minutes extra to his charging durations at stations.
Bjørn points out how Ariya 87 kWh should maintain 115-kilowatt charging when stopping at the charging station. The charging keeps on dropping from 115 kilowatts in the beginning to a steep 90 kilowatts in a couple of minutes. The longest the 115 kilowatt holds up is in the final charging stop, where it keeps charging at 115-kilowatt charge for more than 12 minutes. He even tries changing the clock setting to try and see if anything changes if the charging was set for daytime.
Ariya 87 kWh does quite similarly on the range front as the Ariya 63 kWh trim. However, there is some lag on the ProPilot auto drive feature that just doesn’t work or disengages at some points.
Bjorn tested out a Nissan Ariya 87 kWh concluding the test run in 10 hours 50 minutes with numerous near-misses like self-driving software unexpectedly deactivated, the odd menu layout with numerous settings but nevertheless a responsive cartoonish infotainment experience among his observations. 87 kWh Ariya finishes in middle rank on the list of vehicles tested by Bjorn.
Ariya Specs
The new compact crossover from Nissan, the Ariya, is scheduled to be available in late fall at a starting sticker price of $43,190. You can get the top version that starts from $60,190 onwards. There are six different trim options with optional dual and front/rear motor drive settings of configurations.
The Ariya is also available with optional ProPilot Assist 2.0, which adds semi-autonomous driving features. The 2023 Ariya is a very stylish take on a modern electric SUV with a sleek design. It has a unique grille, slim headlights, and a sloped roofline. The interior is spacious and well-designed, with plenty of high-tech features like zero-gravity rear and front seats.
Nissan’s Ariya electric SUV boasts a futuristic, minimalistic interior design. The automotive company has done away with all striking buttons in favor of an elegant, satiny dashboard that ties in with the exterior look of the vehicle.
The Ariya is Nissan’s latest electric SUV, and it’s available in two different battery sizes: 63 kWh and 87 kWh. It has a range of up to 610 km (379 miles) on the larger battery, and it’s powered by two electric motors that produce a combined output of 178 kW (239 hp).
Nissan has high hopes for Ariya, as it’s seen as a critical part of the company’s plan to turn around its struggling business. Moreover, Nissan took years to come up with its very second EV after Leaf with Ariya. The SUV is already available in Japan and will be launched in Europe and the United States later this year.
Ariya can do 0-100 km/h in an impressive 7.6 seconds and achieve up to 160km/h top speed. Nissan’s new Ariya electric SUV is off to a good start, with Bjørn Nyland completing a 1,000 km (621 miles) range test in both battery pack variants of the vehicle.
Is Ariya 87 kWh Better Than Ariya 63 kWh?
There’s a lot to like about the Ariya 87 kWh. It’s got great range, plenty of power, and is packed with features. But is it better than the Ariya 63 kWh?
The range is always going to be the biggest factor when comparing electric vehicles. And in that regard, the Ariya 87 kWh definitely has the edge. With a range of up to 655km (claimed), it’s nearly double that of the 63 kWh model.
The 63 kWh is no slouch in the range department either. It’s still capable of traveling up to 347km on a single charge. And for many people, that’s more than enough. The choice comes down to individual preference more than what is better as everyone wants different things from their EVs.
Unsurprisingly, the $43-60K price range for electric crossovers and SUVs is quite similar to other models on the market. Some famous options in the same price bands are Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. However, how these competitive models perform with their higher trim line is a different story altogether, as things tend to be very competitive among top EV makers.
Bottomline
Bjørn Nyland is a well-known electric vehicle enthusiast who has done extensive testing of various EVs, including the Nissan Ariya. In his latest test, he set out to see how well the Ariya 87 kWh battery variant would do on a 1000km long haul.
Nyland did have to stop for longer charging times than anticipated due to the wet roads adding to the challenge. However, the fact that there was only a gap of 15 minutes than the other variant Ariya 63 kWh. The Ariya 87 kWh version is said to have more range and power, but the test shows there is not much difference in performance when it comes to the range.
The Ariya offers a serene, relaxed ride that should appeal to the majority of buyers; however, it falls short in the sporty department for driving enthusiasts. What do you think of the 1000km test run? Do you have any thoughts, queries, or issues? Please share your views by writing them down in our comments!
Why doesn’t this article say how far the Ariya can actually go (not claimed to go) on a full charge? What a useless advertisement this turned out to be, especially considering the article’s title.
He said he did 1000km (621 miles) in 10hrs and 50mins until the car completely died. Since he stopped to recharge once (it took him longer to charge. Read his explanation), his average range was 310 miles per charge. 621 miles/2 = 310 miles
Nice. 340mpc would be expected. Great Nissan quality.
I drive a jaguar xe 2 ltr diesel, no road tax and ulez compliant regularly to huelva from Manchester. 2000 miles approx have to refuel once in Northern Spain starting with a full tank in folkestone taking less than 24 hours find me a ev that can do that and I’ll buy it.