Nissan R32 Skyline-based one off EV previewed

Shown in a brief video on Nissan's Japanese website, the dimly lit R32 EV will be the firm’s first electric sports car, albeit not for mass production.

1. R32 Skyline EV is a one-off
2. Could be based on the Nissan Ariya e4orce chassis
3. Features exhaust pipes

Nissan R32 EV: the idea

The R32 Skyline EV is the brainchild of a single engineer who joined the company out of "admiration" for the original 1989 R32 Skyline and said: "I want to build a more exciting car by adding the latest electrification technology that I am involved in to my favourite car. By combining the car that I love the most with the technology that I think is the best, we can create a car that people around the world will be more excited about."

The video shows the car's rear with a large exhaust and no apparent changes over the combustion model, which is widely celebrated for its charismatic twin-turbocharged straight-six engine. Since the video features the 2.6-litre engine's exhaust note, it's possible the car will get exterior speakers, like the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore and Abarth 500e.

The chassis in the R32 EV may be from Nissan's electric crossover, the Ariya e4orce. Nissan has claimed this four-wheel drive system has the same software and hardware configuration as the Attesta ET-S system, the mechanical powertrain used under the R35 Nissan GT-R, which was axed in early 2022 after 13 years.

Nissan's EV plans 

This latest teaser comes after Nissan Nismo CEO Takao Katagiri told our sister publication Autocar UK last year that his division is preparing a bespoke electrified flagship for the UK. The flagship is expected to arrive this decade and could be influenced by the R32 EV, suggesting that this is Nissan's first step towards electrifying the GT-R badge.

The Japanese firm's current electric offerings atr the Ariya and Leaf, launched in 2022 and 2010, respectively. The Qashqai, Juke and X-Trail are also set to be electrified from 2025 as part of the transition from the firm's popular e-Power hybrid powertrain.