Nissan Pixo, Micra baby EVs ruled out for Australia

Nissan is expanding its European lineup with another lightly restyled Renault electric vehicle (EV), the Pixo. But, like its larger Micra sibling, it won’t be making the trip to Australia.

“It’s not something we’re looking at,” Nissan Oceania managing director Steve Milette said when asked whether the Pixo or Micra would be offered Down Under.

A Nissan spokesperson added the models have been developed for the European market.

While they’re being built in right-hand drive for the UK market, they won’t be offered in other RHD markets like Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

The Pixo was revealed in September as Nissan’s version of the new Renault Twingo E-Tech electric city car, receiving restyled front and rear ends, and a revised dashboard, among other changes.

The UK-market model, which goes on sale there early next year, features a 27.5kWh battery that can be charged at up to 50kW on DC power, and offers up to 259km of WLTP range.

It powers a 60kW/175Nm electric motor, giving the Pixo a claimed 0-100km/h time of 11.9 seconds.

The Pixo measures 3796mm long, 1953mm wide (1790mm excluding the mirrors) and 1512mm tall on a 2492mm wheelbase. That makes it around 200mm shorter than a BYD Atto 1.

The latest Micra was revealed in 2025, and while it marks the sixth generation of Nissan’s long-running city-car nameplate, it’s the first to offer electric power.

Based on the Renault 5 E-Tech, it receives more rounded front- and rear-end styling.

There’s a choice of a 40kWh battery that can be fast-charged at up to 80kW on DC power and offers 315km of range, and a 52kWh battery that can be charged at up to 100kW and has 414km of range.

The base 90kW electric motor gives the Micra a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.0 seconds, while a more powerful 110kW motor slashes a second off the sprint.

At 3974mm long, 2020mm wide (1830mm excluding the mirrors) and 1499mm tall on a 2541mm wheelbase, the Micra is similar in length to an Atto 1 but slightly wider.

Much as the Pixo and Micra won't be coming to Australia, their Renault siblings haven't been confirmed for this market either.

Renault Australia has specifically said the Renault 5 E-Tech doesn't comply with a local Australian Design Rule (ADR) regarding child-seat anchor points, something that would require an investment to address.

Nissan Australia hasn’t offered a light car since it axed the fourth-generation Micra in 2016.

It also now has just one EV, the Ariya mid-size electric SUV, following the end of production for the second-generation Leaf, with its coupe SUV-styled third-generation successor confirmed for local launch and then subsequently delayed “indefinitely”.

"So Leaf, as it is, the decision has not changed,” Mr Milette told CarExpert.

“Conditions really have not changed from a business case perspective. But, having a more accessible EV... that we continue to look at within the organisation."

Instead of looking to its European lineup for new models, Nissan Australia has confirmed it’s evaluating various vehicles from its Chinese-market lineup. That includes the NX8, a medium-to-large electric SUV that’s also offered as an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).

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