Nissan just debuted its first electrified pickup — the Frontier Pro — for the Chinese market.
Over the past few years, truck makers have shaken up the conventional pickup formula by launching the industry’s first electrified models. From the growing list of electric trucks like your Chevy Silverado EVs, Ford F-150 Lightnings, Rivian R1Ts and Tesla Cybertrucks (among others) to hybridized models like the Ford F-150 PowerBoost and Toyota Tundra i-Force Max models, most players in the game have some kind of electric assist for folks who demand it. All the while, Nissan has taken a more traditional approach with the Frontier, which is still powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine with no forced induction or electric motors helping it along…until now, that is. At the Shanghai Auto Show, the automaker revealed the “Frontier Pro” as its first plug-in hybrid truck for the Chinese market.
Now, to be clear, this isn’t the same Frontier as what we get over here in the U.S. It’s part of Nissan’s joint venture with Dongfeng, the result of which is called Zhengzhou Nissan (ZNA). The Nissan Frontier Pro is based on that company’s truck offering, the Dongfeng Z9, with a few Nissan-specific touches and the more marketable name. That said, while it will initially launch in China, Nissan’s new CEO Ivan Espinosa confirmed this plug-in hybrid truck would make it to other global markets.
Under the hood, the Nissan Frontier Pro gets a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, for a start. That sounds especially wimpy for the North American market, in particular, but the electric motor integrated into the 8-speed automatic transmission results in a combined output of 402 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. So, on paper at least, this BYD Shark-like setup stomps on the American Frontier’s 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft figures. Since it is a PHEV, Nissan also claims up to 135 kilometers (or 84 miles) of all-electric driving capability, according to China’s CLTC testing cycle.
The Nissan Frontier Pro also gets a few features to help in the capability department. Chinese drivers will get an intelligent all-wheel drive system, as well as an electromechanical locking rear differential. It also has a vehicle-to-load (V2L) system to power household appliances off the truck, pulling up to 6 kW from the onboard battery. Four drive modes are also available: Hybrid for normal operation, Performance, Pure Electric and Snow.
How Nissan changes up the styling from its Chinese counterpart
While the Nissan Frontier Pro bears little resemblance to the truck we know (or the global market Navara, for that matter), the automaker did incorporate some familiar styling elements into this PHEV’s design. On the front lightbar, for example, three LED lights pay homage to the old-school Hardbody pickup’s hood vents — a trait that Nissan also incorporated into our Frontier and the modern Pathfinder SUV in recent years. Inside, the instrument panel, general layout and steering wheel design nod at least a bit to Nissan’s more recent designs.
Over here, Nissan brings some chunkier elements to the Frontier’s design to make it feel like a real truck, despite updated tech to keep it competitive with its rivals. While you do get a floating 14.6-inch central infotainment screen and 10-inch digital instrument cluster here, this co-developed plug-in hybrid Frontier Pro doesn’t bring special font on the dashboard, a chunky gear selector or grab handles to make it feel more truck-like. Instead, it brings similar elements to the BYD Shark, which it’s obviously positioned against in the home market. It’s not geared toward American buyers.
And there’s a good reason for that: The Nissan Frontier Pro almost certainly won’t make it anywhere near North America anytime soon…at least not looking like this. Current trade issues notwithstanding, Nissan reportedly has other plans for the Frontier we get over here. In a recent discussion with MotorTrend, chief planning officer for Nissan Americas Ponz Pandikuthira notes the next-generation Frontier will need to be electrified. So, we could see the powertrain (or at least concepts derived from the PHEV powertrain) eventually make it stateside, but in a package that’s more appealing to North American appetites. They’re still “working on it”, so we may see this evolution occur with the next fully redesigned Frontier, which may arrive around the 2028 model year, given the current pace. The current D41 Frontier launched for the 2022 model year, and saw a mid-cycle refresh for 2025.
While we probably won’t get it, we’re curious to see which other markets will end up getting this China-bred Nissan Frontier Pro. Nissan was mum on which specific markets will get this truck, but it will likely expand its market offerings after its Chinese launch later this year.
