Nissan stuns vehicle buyers with new ultra-affordable electric vehicle — and it’s far from bare-bones

Nissan is stepping up its electric vehicle game by cutting back the price of its newest EV. According to Electrek, the new Nissan N7 sedan, which was recently unveiled at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, starts at only $16,500.

This may be Nissan’s attempt at competing with Chinese EV giant BYD, which recently released the Qin L for $16,500.

Despite the low price, the N7 isn’t some bare-bones EV without any flashy smart tech. It comes with high-speed navigation, city memory navigation, as well as intelligent parking, all of which can be controlled using the 15.6-inch infotainment monitor. It also comes with AI voice interaction.

The N7 doesn’t sacrifice much on range either. It comes in five different models, which can trek from 316 miles on a single charge to 388.

One of the reasons Nissan is able to sell the N7 for so cheap is because it has a lithium iron phosphate battery pack rather than a lithium-ion battery made using nickel, manganese, and cobalt like a lot of EVs. LFP batteries are significantly cheaper to manufacture. Volkswagen used the same strategy in manufacturing its new affordable EV, the ID.2.

Unfortunately, none of the affordable EVs mentioned here will be hitting the streets in the United States any time soon, though that could always change with enough consumer demand. For now, the N7 and Qin L are focused on the Chinese market, and the ID.2 is targeting the European market.

Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home’s indoor air quality?

EVs already have well-known money-saving benefits over gas-powered vehicles in that they don’t require as much maintenance and the driver doesn’t need to worry about fluctuating gas prices. That’s on top of the fact that EVs don’t produce planet-warming pollution that contributes to extreme weather events.

But for some, EVs might not have been an option because they’re generally a little more expensive. Cheaper EVs such as the N7 could convince consumers to make their next car an EV.

Home solar can increase the savings from owning an EV by cutting charging costs. Charging at home using solar power is cheaper than using public charging stations or energy from the grid. EnergySage provides homeowners with a free service that helps them compare quotes from vetted solar installers as well as any rebates or tax incentives for going solar. Additionally, Palmetto has a solar leasing program called LightReach, which helps you install panels on your home for no money down and still lock in low energy rates.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.