Nissan launches China-built Frontier Pro and Frontier Pro PHEV

Nissan says its China JV Zhengzhou Nissan will launch Frontier Pro and Frontier Pro PHEV in China, with exports planned for H1 2026. Learn more.

Nissan has launched two new pickup trucks in China — the all-new Frontier Pro and the Frontier Pro PHEV — with the plug-in hybrid marking the brand’s first pickup featuring a PHEV system. The program is led by Nissan’s Chinese joint venture Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd. (ZNA), and both trucks are positioned as Nissan’s first pickups designed, developed and built in China for global export.

Steven Ma, Chairman of Nissan’s China Management Committee, described the Frontier Pro as a model “born in China” for the global market, and said exports are scheduled to start in the first half of next year. In China, pricing is set at 169.9–199.9 thousand RMB for the Frontier Pro and 189.9–249.9 thousand RMB for the Frontier Pro PHEV.

The headline is the electrified drivetrain. The Frontier Pro PHEV pairs a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a high-output electric motor, with Nissan quoting over 300 kW and up to 800 Nm for its combined output. In EV mode, the company targets a maximum range of 135 km on the NEDC cycle. For outdoor use, Nissan also highlights a 6 kW external power supply intended to run everything from lighting and cooking gear to equipment.

Additional specifications found within this dialogue add more detail to that picture: the PHEV is listed with a 33 kWh battery and DC charging from 30% to 80% in 0.5 hours, and it keeps a body-on-frame layout with 4WD.

The combustion Frontier Pro takes a more traditional route, combining a third-generation M9T diesel engine producing 500 Nm with a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. Nissan’s release also leans on durability and safety messaging: extensive use of high-strength steel in the body and frame, 100% double-sided galvanized exterior panels, underbody protection, and a suite of 25 driver-assistance features aimed at accident prevention and occupant protection.

On the design side, Nissan points to its V-motion grille, a floating laser-engraved logo and advanced LED lighting, while the cabin is framed as a comfort-led space with large displays, a panoramic sunroof and hard-wearing materials. At the same time, the numbers underline the truck brief: the PHEV is listed with towing capacity up to 3,300 kg, a 450–490 kg maximum load rating, and dimensions of 5494 × 1960 × 1950 mm with a 3300 mm wheelbase.

Taken together, Frontier Pro and Frontier Pro PHEV look like Nissan’s move to blend two currents at once: the utility demand that keeps LCV pickups relevant, and electrification that is increasingly pushing into segments long dominated by diesel and gasoline. With exports planned for the first half of next year, the China-developed Frontier Pro will also serve as a real-world test of how quickly Nissan can scale a local program into a global product without losing the value equation that matters most in this market.