Infiniti to Unveil All-Electric CUV at NAIAS

Infiniti will unveil its new QX Inspiration concept, an all-electric CUV, at this month’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Infiniti says in a news release the new concept represents the Nissan luxury brand’s plans for high-performance battery-electric vehicles, “offering range confidence while signaling a new era for Infiniti design enabled by new technology.” The brief statement does not mention the QX Inspiration’s range or when it will go to market.

The CUV’s cabin has been handcrafted using traditional techniques and materials “inspired by a subtle Japanese sensuality…creating a welcoming environment while assisting drivers and connecting occupants to the world around them,” the release says.

“QX Inspiration is the beginning of a new era for Infiniti and an illustration of where we want to go with the brand,” says Karim Habib, executive design director. “New technology has given us the opportunity to evolve our design philosophy – and the new vehicle communicates the serene strength at our core.”

Should a production version of the QX Inspiration concept – to be unveiled Jan. 14 at NAIAS – come to market, it will join other all-electric CUVs from Jaguar and Hyundai.

Infiniti announced at last year’s Detroit show it would electrify its entire lineup from 2021, either with battery-only technology or a range-extended hybrid system it called e-Power. The automaker said it would continue producing internal-combustion-engine-powered vehicles but expected electrified vehicles to account for more than half of global sales by 2025.

Parent Nissan has been a pioneer in battery-electric technology, retailing one of the world’s first BEVs, the Leaf, since December 2010.