The Japanese automaker Nissan has announced the start of large-scale production of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles by the beginning of 2029. The company, ranked third among Japanese automakers by sales volume, is betting on innovative technology to keep up with giants such as Tesla and BYD, which have already made significant strides in battery-powered cars.
The solid-state batteries, which Nissan plans to begin testing and developing at a pilot plant in Yokohama, are expected to charge faster and last longer than traditional batteries. Production of the first solid-state batteries will begin in March 2025, and the company plans to increase production capacity to 100 megawatt-hours per month from the fiscal year starting in April 2028.
In addition, Nissan plans to use powerful casting machines to produce the “floor” of cars, which will reduce the cost of production by 10% and reduce the weight of components by 20%. According to Nissan vice president Hideyuki Sakamoto, the company has been using such technologies for the production of structural parts of front air conditioners at the Totiga plant for more than 15 years.
In the next three years, Nissan plans to launch 30 new models, 16 of which will be electrified, including eight fully electric cars and four plug-in hybrids. The company, which pioneered electric cars with the Leaf model, now aims to reduce the cost of the next generation of such cars by 30%, so that they can be competitive with gasoline-powered models by 2030.
Nissan is also considering a strategic partnership with major domestic rival Honda Motor to work together on key components for electric vehicles and the use of artificial intelligence in automotive software platforms. This collaboration could be another step towards innovation and improving the competitiveness of Japanese cars in the global market.