Nissan Says the IMx or "Leaf SUV" Will EVs Mainstream, Remain True to Conceptual Design

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By Robert Moore

Published Mar 17, 2018

Nissan was just criticized for throwing some new color on the IMx concept and calling it new, and now Nissan’s Europe Design Boss, Mamoru Aoki, says that the production version of the IMx, essentially a Leaf SUV, will make electric vehicles truly mainstream. He also said that it will remain true to the IMx concept, suggesting that the concept will change very little between concept and production.

Is the IMx Concept Going into Production?

Yes. In fact, Aoki was quite direct about this saying, “The IMx is not just a concept car. In a few years, it will appear . Of course, we have the new Leaf, but I think the IMx concept will become a breakthrough model.” Of course, it is also believed that Nissan’s EV platform will actually serve taller vehicles, like crossovers and SUVs, much better than it does smaller vehicles like the Leaf.

Of course, it’s easy to be excited about a crossover-ish vehicle in a market where crossovers reign supreme. Aoki went on to talk about the interior and even pointed out that the IMx has unusual interior trim – something that could provide a hint towards what to expect in the production model. He did say that the production model would remain true to the concept and that’s where I start wondering what they are smoking over at Nissan.

We’ve seen concept vehicles like the IMx before, and we’ve seen brands drag out a concept’s lifespan by making little changes and boasting them as new, but we’ve never seen a concept like the IMx actually go into production looking, well, like the concept. Seeing a production version of the IMx that actually looks like the concept inside and out would certainly be a first, and if I were you, I wouldn’t put any money on it happening. Aoki isn’t exactly known for bending the truth, but something that looks like the IMx Concept just wouldn’t fit in the market as it is now.

What do you think? Should Nissan bring the IMx Concept to production just the way it is or should it be toned down and made more appropriate for eh market? Furthermore, will a model like this actually the model that pushes the bar for EVs enough to make them go mainstream? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.