Everyone is getting in on the compact truck party. There’s the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Ford Maverick, possibly the Ram Dakota, and more. Now Nissan is getting in on the action, but they could come out with an electric option. Could this mean the return of the Nissan Datsun in EV form? 

The Nissan Datsun might be resurrected 

Nissan is really pulling a play from left field here. Who saw this coming? Reports suggest that Nissan is planning to build a new truck that slots under the Nissan Frontier. This new truck could also be electric. 

But what would they call the new Nissan electric truck? If we had to guess, then the classic Nissan Datsun would return. Also, if it makes a fully electric compact truck, it will be the first brand to do so. 

There is the Ford Maverick Hybrid, but it’s not a plug-in hybrid and still requires gas. But the Ford F-150 Lightning is a massive electric truck that people are excited about. The Telsa Cybertruck will eventually arrive too. 

But people are attracted to compact trucks because of their smaller size. They are much easier to maneuver than full-size trucks, which are now larger than World War II tanks. An electric Nissan truck would combine fuel efficiency with easy maneuverability. 

What happened to the Datsun? 

The Nissan Datsun has quite a bit of history. Datsun emerged in Japan back in 1911 as an automaker. DAT means lightning fast, which is a perfect logo for a new electric truck. It became a part of Nissan in 1934, and Datsun began exporting vehicles to other countries.  

In 1934, the first Datsun truck emerged, but then it was revived after the war in 1946. The compact Nissan Dastun was manufactured in Japan from 1955 until 1997. In American, the Datsun was also known as the Nissan Hardbody. 

You could get the Nissan D21 or Datsun in the United States in 1985. It was a direct competitor against the Toyota Hilux, which was the predecessor to the larger Toyota Tacoma that we have today. 

The Datsun was the predecessor to the midsize Nissan Frontier. It was discontinued in the United States in 1998. But Mexico continued making these hardbody trucks until 2008. 

What about the Nissan Navara? 

While the Nissan Datsun is a cool truck, the Nissan Navara provides more clues about electrification. The 2023 Nissan Navara EV will arrive in other markets such as South Africa and Europe with multiple upgrades. 

We hope that the Navara is a preview of what we can expect in the United States with Nissan’s new electric truck. It will feature a restyled grille, C-shaped LED lights, a new rear bumper, side steps, and redesigned taillights. 

The Nissan Navara Pro-4X will feature a more aggressive look for off-roading with beefy 17-inch wheels. Imagine a smaller electric version of the Frontier Pro-4X built for off-roading in America. This speculation is all very exciting. 

We know that Nissan is doing something with an electric truck, and an option that’s smaller than the Frontier will be available in the United States. We aren’t sure when we will see it or what it will be named. But the return of the Nissan Datsun truck would be epic.