Three months ago, Nissan and Uber were still sketching out a supply scheme for the new Elgrand aimed at premium operators. The promises are over. On August 24, the project moved from paper to real operation: Hinomaru Limousine and IBI Group simultaneously rolled out 15 cars each. That's 30 new minivans already working the Uber Premium lines.
And this isn't about promises anymore. According to Uber Japan, the number of Premium rides and revenue in the country have grown roughly sevenfold compared to 2023. The service operates in nine prefectures and is clearly courting tourists and groups traveling with luggage — exactly the riders who need a spacious minivan more than a sedan.
For the Elgrand, this is a striking shift in role — and it happened remarkably fast after the new generation launched on July 16. The model, after a 16-year gap, picked up a third generation of the series hybrid e-Power system, e-4ORCE all-wheel drive, and adaptive suspension. Nissan is now using its flagship minivan not just as a family hauler, but as a tool for commercial chauffeured transport.
There's a catch, though. Riders can't request the Elgrand directly: the app only lets you book the Premium category, and the system assigns one of the available cars. So even the launch promotion — running August 24 through October 31, a 20% discount capped at 1,000 yen — doesn't guarantee a ride in the new Nissan.
That's exactly what separates this stage from May's announcement. Back then, Uber and Nissan only talked about supporting taxi fleets buying the Elgrand, since operators simply couldn't find enough premium minivans of the right caliber. Now the cars are actually working, and a sevenfold jump in demand explains why the service needed to expand its fleet at all.
The next milestone is scale. For now, Response reports 30 cars across two operators. If more carriers sign on, the Elgrand could grow from a limited rollout into a genuinely significant slice of Uber Premium's Japanese fleet.
