Nissan bringing back the driving fun: Twin-motor e-4ORCE badge registered in Australia signals hot EVs coming

Nissan has hinted at its bright electric future, with the brand trademarking the new e-4ORCE badge in Australia, which is reserved for its twin-motor electric cars that focus on fun over frugality.

The brand registered the trademark with the Intellectual Property Office on May 28, presumably in preparation for the incoming Aria SUV that was debuted in concept form at the Tokyo Auto Show, and which Nissan has promised is “almost as fast as a GT-R“.

The all-EV crossover also debuts a new design direction for the Japanese brand, with busy styling shown the door in favour of clean and fuss-free lines.

While exactly what’s under the stylish new skin remains something of a mystery, executives have confirmed a dual motor setup (one at each axle) and enough driving range for the average driver to only need to pug in every seven days. But it’s the performance potential that grabbed the most attention, with the brand’s executives describing the acceleration as “super fun”.

“You add another motor, and you double the power, you double the torque,” Nissan’s Electric Vehicle Program Director, Hugues Desmarchelier, told CarsGuide. 

The e-4ORCE name was also applied to the “Super Leaf” prototype, which acted as a preview for the Ariya’s drivetrain. That vehicle has two motors, one at each axle, which combine to provide 227kW and 680Nm, along with sportier suspension and some clever high-tech driving aids designed to make you a better and faster driver.

“Soon Nissan will launch a next-generation EV (Ariya) that will be a true breakthrough,” Takao Asami, senior vice president for research and advanced engineering at Nissan, told us at the time. 

“The new electric-drive, four-wheel-drive technology now being developed integrates Nissan’s electric propulsion and 4WD control technologies with our chassis control technology to achieve a huge leap in acceleration, cornering and braking performance, on par with the latest sports cars.”