You’d think from the effusive prose from Nissan’s Japanese bosses that their new all electric Ariya SUV was designed for intergalactic space travel rather than the school run and daily commutes.

Take for example the hi-tech interior of the sleek coupe crossover which Nissan says is ‘more akin to a sleek café lounge on a starship’.

With its bold looks, low roofline, big grille, and razor thin sci-fi looking LED lights constructed with four 20-millimeter mini-projectors, Nissan design chiefs said the aim was to make cars that were sleek and ‘sexy’ – not a word you usually associate with the mainstream Japanese brand.

But while talk of starship chic might be for the space cadets, the new Nissan Ariya – unveiled at an online global digital launch from Yokahama in Japan – does certainly take the Japanese car brand boldly into territory where no Nissan car has gone before.

Without the need for a conventional petrol or diesel engine taking up space, and with batteries under the flat floor, the spacious new five-door battery-powered zero-emissions Ariya is the bigger brother to the existing all-electric Nissan Leaf with a large lounge-like interior which it claims to be ‘one of the most spacious cabins in its class’.

Star Trek’s Dr ‘Bones’ McCoy may opine of the space-age like Ariya: ‘It’s an SUV, Jim, but not as we know it.’

While Buzz Lightyear might say: ‘To Infinity and beyond’ (though that might go down badly as Nissan has recently ditched its upmarket Infiniti brand in Western Europe to put more focus on its electrification plans).

But it aims to be a practical proposition for families who want electric power without (subject to final pricing) the vast expense, when it goes on sale in the UK and continental Europe next year.

Although not a direct rival, with prices set to start from around £40,000, it’ll certainly be a cheaper option for those who can’t – or won’t – stretch to the more expensive Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC and Tesla Model X costing some £20,000 more. 

And it should give some competition to Vauxhall’s forthcoming ID.4 and Ford’s Mustang Mach-E.

Nissan says the new Ariya is little changed from the original concept car, which I saw and crawled around when it first appeared at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show (which now seems like eons ago), and represents ‘timeless Japanese futurism’. 

It’s also the first car to show the bold new ‘look’ of Nissan design ion what it says heralds its ‘new era’. This includes a prominent front V-shaped shield in place of the conventional grille, which is emblazoned with an illuminated Nissan emblem.

Powered by twin electric motors, five versions of the all-electric Nissan Ariya are available at launch – two in 2 wheel drive and three with 4-wheel drive – and with varying degrees of power, range and acceleration.

The 2-wheel drive versions, designed for urban commutes, come as a 63kWh with a range of up to 223 miles and a 87kWh up to 310 miles. 

Both top speeds are electronically limited to 99mph while the former will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 7.5 seconds, and the latter in 7.6 seconds.

The 4-wheel drive versions, badged ‘e-4ORCE’, also come in the same power levels but with faster acceleration and top speeds of up to 124mph, though shorter ranges. 

The 63kWh version has a range of up to 211miles and 0-62 acceleration of 5.9 seconds, while the 87kWh model has a range of up to 285 miles and will do the 0 to 62mph sprint in 5.7 seconds.

Range-topper is the Ariya ‘Performance’ model which will cover up to 248 miles (40 miles less than the standard version) but is the fastest accelerating version from rest to 62mph in 5.1 seconds.

The Ariya is built on an all-new electric vehicle platform developed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

It rides on sporty 19-inch wheels with 20-inch options. It can tow 1.5 tonnes.

You can drive the Ariya with one foot thanks to the ‘e-Pedal’, first introduced in the electric Nissan LEAF, which allows the driver to launch, accelerate and decelerate by using only the accelerator pedal. Braking resistance slows the car down for a more fluid driving style.

There are three drive main modes – Standard, Sport and ECO – while all-wheel drive ‘e-4ORCE’ models include an additional Snow mode.

But it’s inside which impresses as much.

Nissan says: ‘The interior is more akin to a sleek cafe lounge on a starship than to a traditional automotive cabin.’

It’s a very quiet ride for occupants thanks to thanks to generous use of sound-absorbing materials.

There’s plenty of legroom and interior space thanks to a flat, open floor – made possible by the location of the battery at the base of the chassis – and the slim ‘Zero Gravity’ seats.

Up front the minimalist dashboard blends into the doors and is uncluttered by buttons and switches found in conventional vehicles. 

Nissan notes: ‘Primary climate control functions are integrated into the centre dash in the form of capacitive haptic switches that offer the same feeling as mechanical switches by vibrating when touched. They only appear when the car is turned on, providing a technological yet luxury touch to the cockpit area. ‘

It features a 12.3-inch instrument monitor and 12.3-inch centre display along a single horizon plus one of the largest full-colour head-up displays in its segment.

The infotainment system includes voice control and a host of electronic options: ‘Drivers can check the status of the Ariya’s battery from the comfort of the breakfast table while enjoying a morning coffee.

‘With a scheduled destination, the Intelligent Route Planner will send a reminder when it’s time to depart, keeping the day on-track.’

A centre storage box and sliding foldout tray – useful as a mobile office workspace – is tucked under the centre of the instrument panel.

Rear-seat passengers have plenty of headroom and legroom with the flat cabin floor ‘allowing them to easily cross their legs and relax.’ Light floods in from a sunroof.

Plenty of whizzy safety kit including forward collision warning and intelligent emergency braking.

Nissan Ariya 63kWh versions carry a 7.4 kW charger for domestic use, while the more powerful 87kWh versions include a 22kW 3 phase charger for home charging. It also supports quick charging up to 130kW during long journeys.

The Ariya is available in a striking new two-tone Copper colour package called ‘Akatsuki’ designed to reflect ‘the moment just before dawn, as the sun marks the beginning of a new day’, plus six more two-tone combinations, each with a black roof, and four full-body colour combinations.

Nissan’s chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta said: ‘We’re launching a new chapter for Nissan.

‘With the Ariya, we’ve strived to amplify the fun-to-drive aspect of electric mobility while ensuring high levels of comfort and confidence. It is not just a great EV crossover, but a great vehicle – a true force of wonder that will take us into the future.’

Or ‘To boldly go…’ as infinitive-splitting Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise would say.