Nissan’s director of U.S. electric vehicle marketing and sales strategy, Aditya Jairaj, told Automotive News that the reservation program connects the brand with enthusiasts. “It’s a two-way dialogue,” Jairaj said. “Customers are extremely keen to understand how the Ariya can fit into their lives. We want to know about them, what their interests are, what they’re looking for.”
This consumer information can help automakers plan their production volumes, a critical factor in an area where supply chain issues such as the semiconductor shortage have plagued the industry. The chip shortage affected the Nissan Ariya after its global market launch was delayed from mid-2021 to 2022.
According to Guidehouse Insights principal analyst Sam Abuelsamid, the Nissan Ariya reservations may also help the automaker with vehicle allocation. “If they know that they’ve got 50,000 or 100,000 people in the U.S. willing to put down a deposit, they’re more likely to allocate more of the available products to this particular region,” Abuelsamid told Automotive News.
While Nissan Ariya reservations have yet to launch, Automotive News reports that the vehicle, which is expected to be priced around $40,000, has gathered significant interest from 135,000 would-be buyers. If the Ariya ends up being a hit, Nissan may have a bunch of unhappy dealers on its hands.