THE future's electric as far as Nissan is concerned and the Japanese company has used its' ‘home' motor show to reveal just how that future will look.

The star of Nissan's display at the Tokyo motor show is a car which, although it's billed as a concept, provides more than a mere hint of the brand's future electric vehicle design philosophy.

In fact the Nissan Ariya concept is virtually production ready and its design will likely form the basis for a new, battery electric SUV within the next couple of years.

It's a crossover all-wheel-drive EV with twin electric motors, powerful acceleration, wide-ranging driver assistance technology and a look that signals a complete reinvention of the brand's design.

And the company says that although it's a concept vehicle, the bold styling and unconventional interior and exterior elements could make it into production in the near future.

"The Ariya Concept represents a strong collaboration between design and engineering," says Nissan's Yasuhiro Yamauchi. "It is the next stage of Nissan's future design language as we embark on a new era for the company - the next stage in our evolution."

And he adds: "The Ariya Concept is just the beginning, as Nissan considers how design, packaging and driver enjoyment can be transformed through the architecture of new EV platforms.

"The Ariya Concept is not a concept car designed from far off ideas, but rather a car that highlights a promise of an entirely new driving experience on the horizon."