Truck fans have been sad for years about the loss of small, reasonably priced pickup trucks that could still do their jobs. For a while, it looked like every new truck would be an electric vehicle (EV), like the $70,000 Ford F-150 Lightning, instead of a hybrid, like the Maverick, which costs $20,000. However, things might change, and Nissan might be one of the first companies to do something about it. The company is making a smaller pickup truck for the US market. It could be electric or a plug-in hybrid. Last week, CEO Makoto Uchida talked about Nissan’s midterm business plan and confirmed the truck. He also made a few hints about an electric Skyline crossover. A story in Automotive News says that Nissan and Mitsubishi will work together to make a smaller next-generation pickup truck in Mexico. This would speed up the truck’s entry into Latin American markets and keep it from having to pay the Chicken Tax in the US. But it still needs to be made clear how it will be driven when it will arrive, or what its exact size will be. To begin with, we can rule out one possibility: it won’t be the current Triton, which is only offered as a manual, diesel single-cab. Mumo has told me that they don’t plan to sell it here. Now, you can choose between the small Maverick competitor or the medium Frontier replacement. When I talked to Mitsubishi’s North American product manager, they didn’t say that wasn’t possible, so it’s still possible. A full electric vehicle (EV) and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle are both being looked at for powertrains, but a choice has yet to be made. It could even be a simple choice. In the past, Mitsubishi said that it would bring an electric pickup to the US by 2028, but it needs to be clarified if this will be a different type. No matter what, Nissan’s Chief Planning Officer, Ivan Espinosa, says the truck won’t come out for three to seven years. That’s a long wait. That means at least April 2027 and spring 2031 at maximum. When it does happen, though, it will only be a small part of a larger process of cross-pollination between Mitsubishi and the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This will lead to badge-engineered cars in the US. They will fill in gaps in the lines of both companies. Nissan has a hybrid car, and Mitsubishi has cars in a lot of different segments. (Gosh, please give us the Delica!) The pretty good Outlander is built on a base that both companies share. The next step will be electric drivetrains. According to sources, Nissan and Mitsubishi will buy PHEVs and EVs. These purchases are likely separate from their joint truck project. We will know what’s in the water when it breaks. I’ll donate plasma for a Maverick-sized SAWC PHEV down payment.
