Infiniti EV push charges ahead with QX Inspiration concept

DETROIT — Infiniti intends to move into the crowded electric crossover market, hoping to capitalize on growing global demand for crossovers and a shift toward electrified powertrains.

Nissan's luxury arm revealed a blueprint for its electrification plans at the Detroit auto show, where it showed the QX Inspiration concept Monday.

The launch, however, was marred by a glitch which prevented the concept from arriving onstage, leaving executives to wax on about the design of a product that wasn’t there.

The midsize electric crossover concept is based on a new electric vehicle architecture and offer an electric all-wheel-drive system.

An electric crossover makes sense because the popularity of the segment, especially in the premium market, is "completely exploding," said Nissan's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa.

The larger footprint of a crossover can also accommodate beefier batteries. "Crossovers are much easier than sedans to package a sexy car," Albaisa said.

Infiniti plans to electrify its product lineup from 2021 onward. About half of the luxury brand's sales will be full-electric, e-Power or hybrid, by 2025.

A year ago Infiniti introduced the Q Inspiration sedan concept in Detroit and in August the automaker showed off the Prototype 10, an electrified single-seat speedster concept.

An electric crossover combines the biggest segment with one of the smallest, EVs, said Matt DeLorenzo, senior executive editor at Kelley Blue Book. "It's a classic case of hedging your bet," he said.

The QX's electric powertrain influenced the vehicle's design. Without the need for a large engine up front, the QX has a cab-forward design with short front and rear overhangs and a shorter hood.

"Electrification and other new technologies have given us the opportunity to evolve our design philosophy," Karim Habib, Infiniti's executive design director, said in a statement. "The concept car … is the beginning of a new era for Infiniti, and an illustration of where we want to go with the brand."

The QX's grille-less front fascia is dominated by an illuminated Infiniti logo, that is bookended by channels to divert air over and around the body.

Thin headlamp strips feature laser-like etchings, with a technical pattern echoed throughout the vehicle interior and exterior. The wing-shaped light strip that spreads across the tailgate also carries over the pattern.

Locating the battery and motors low down in the body and between the axles, opens up the interior from a design perspective.

"We have taken advantage of the EV architecture to develop a lounge-like interior, enabled by the flat floor and the empty space below the dashboard and center console," Habib said. "So really, we're not just designing the objects inside the car, we're designing the empty space between objects."

The QX dashboard trades conventional knobs and buttons for high-resolution displays — a trend made popular by Tesla.

Dominating the dashboard is a wide-screen monitor stretching from pillar to pillar, finished in polarized gold-tinted glass. The rectangular steering wheel has its own monitor.

The customizable screens allow front passenger to see and control a range of functions, including infotainment, cabin lighting, heating and ventilation. Even the Carrara marble center console has a built-in screen.

The QX is future-proofed for an autonomous-driving world, Infiniti says. The steering wheel collapses into the dashboard and the pedals retract into the floor when the vehicle is in self-driving mode.