The Infiniti Vision Qe concept, which was revealed on the eve of the 2023 Japan Mobility Show on Tuesday, shows the vision for the luxury brand as it moves to an electric future.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
When it comes to electric vehicles, Infiniti is late to the game. But now the Japanese luxury brand is making up for lost time, unveiling the Vision Qe electric concept sedan at an event at Tokyo Bay on the eve of the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.
Given the popularity of SUVs, it is surprising that Infiniti choose a sedan as its first big EV debut and entry into the ever-growing EV market, but it did announce an all-electric SUV concept is coming. Still, it’s a stunning sedan with aerodynamic flowing lines, a low sleek profile and funky machine-washed wheels. And it represents a bold, new direction for the brand as it moves to transform its image and electrify a majority of its lineup by 2030.
“We decided to present the sedan because it represents our heritage. It’s a homage to the brand with the previous sedan that we had. Remember the Q45? This is a homage to that,” said Jose Roman, global head of the Infiniti brand, after the reveal.
Hats off to Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president of global design at Nissan Motor Corp., and the Infiniti design team for creating this sleek concept car. Visually, the Vision Qe is dynamic and attractive in its styling cues. The front end of the Vision Qe is reimagined with an EV era in mind so say goodbye to Infiniti’s trademark double-arched grille on its gas-powered vehicles. On the exterior, lighting is now the primary focus on EVs moving forward with Infiniti’s so-called “digital piano key” lights running across the front of the vehicle, illuminated in a brilliant shade of gold. Similarly, the piano key tail lamps run the full width of the rear, integrating into an aerodynamic lip, and giving the vehicle a muscular and athletic stance. Big, brawny rear fenders also accentuate the vehicle’s powerful stance and width. The front end also dons Infiniti’s new three-dimensional logo flanked by slender headlights.
Adorned in a beautiful shade dubbed “Shadow Blue,” the rich blue base coat has gold highlights and flecks that shimmer and create a different look and feel depending on the angle of view and time of day. The deep blue and gold theme continues in the cabin, creating a sophisticated, cohesive and timeless look. And like a Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV, when approaching the vehicle with the key fob in-hand, an animated sequence comes to life on the Vision Qe to welcome the driver back to the car. No technical details were provided on the battery pack, electric motors or range. And no word yet on pricing or production date.
Infiniti's first big EV is a stunning sedan with aerodynamic flowing lines, a low sleek profile and funky machine-washed wheels.Courtesy of manufacturer
Infiniti’s first production EV will be built at Nissan Motor Company’s Canton, Miss. assembly plant. Nissan recently invested US$500-million to transform the facility into the company’s North American hub for electric-vehicle production. Two all-new EVs – one from Infiniti and one from Nissan – will begin production in a few years.
At the event, Infiniti confirmed plans to launch three other vehicles as part of a comprehensive range refresh to revitalize the brand. On the electric front, Infiniti announced a new all-electric SUV called the Vision QXe concept. While no details or photos were shared, it will likely resemble its sedan sibling with sleek and stylish design cues and distinct lighting accents, but in a more practical crossover SUV package, which will likely appeal to a larger audience than the Vision Qe sedan.
The Infiniti Vision Qe concept, which was revealed on the eve of the 2023 Japan Mobility Show on Tuesday, shows the vision for the luxury brand as it moves to an electric future.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
The other two Infiniti models include the next-generation QX80 flagship full-size SUV, which will arrive next year and a new QX65 crossover coupe set to debut later on. A concept version of the three-row QX80 SUV, called the QX Monograph concept, was revealed at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August. The production version is expected to look similar to it on the outside with a bolder, new look that a resembles a Land Rover Range Rover with massive boxy proportions, large wheels and flashy front grille. The interior is expected to be a big improvement over the last-generation model with rich, soft materials, a suite of new technology and a more spacious cabin for passengers in all three rows of seats. No details are available on the powertrain, yet.
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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Petrina Gentile