Nissan reveals its newest EV, an affordable electric city cruiser with 259 km of range [Images]

This one is worth knowing about mostly if you follow the EV market, since it won't be sold in the US. Nissan has revived its Pixo nameplate as a new entry-level electric city car for Europe, aimed at buyers who want a cheap, small EV rather than a family vehicle or long-range cruiser. It uses a 27.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, a type known for being more affordable and durable than other EV batteries, giving it an estimated range of 259 km (161 miles) under European testing standards. On a fast charger, it can go from 15% to 80% battery in about 28 minutes.

The car is built on the same platform as the Renault Twingo, through Nissan's partnership with Renault, and will actually be manufactured at a Renault plant in Slovenia. Despite being a budget model, it comes with driver-assistance features like automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, plus Google's built-in software and navigation tools. Nissan expects it to start under €20,000 (about $23,000) before any government incentives, with exact pricing for each country announced in December.

For a US homeowner weighing an EV purchase or charging setup at home, this specific model doesn't apply, since Nissan built it only for European cities and has no plans to sell it stateside. It's a sign of how competitive the small, affordable EV segment has become globally, but it won't show up in an American driveway.