Nissan Motor, the popular automotive manufacturer in Japan, is set to embark on large-scale production of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, with plans to commence by early 2029.
Nissan Motor, under the Nissan Ambition 2030 long-term vision, aims to launch EVs equipped with the batteries by fiscal year 2028.
Nissan Motor is aiming to keep 7-8 percent of its revenue towards capital expenditure. This excludes investment in battery capacity. Additionally, Nissan plans to invest more than 400 billion yen in battery capacity. Meanwhile, investment in electrification will increase progressively, becoming more than 70 percent by fiscal year 2026.
Facing competition from industry frontrunners such as US-based Tesla and China-based BYD in the electric vehicle segment, Nissan is banking on technological innovations to maintain its competitive edge. Tesla is the EV market leader with 19.9 percent share, while BYD has 17.1 percent share in the global electric vehicle market.
Nissan Motor said it intends to conduct prototype tests and develop solid-state batteries initially at a pilot plant located in Yokohama, near its headquarters in Tokyo. Solid-state batteries are anticipated to offer faster charging times and superior longevity compared to conventional battery technologies.
Nissan aims to kickstart solid-state battery production at the Yokohama site from March 2025, with plans to deploy 100 workers per shift to scale up production to 100 megawatt hours per year by the fiscal year beginning April 2028.
In addition to solid-state batteries, Nissan is set to leverage heavy-force machines for the production of rear floors in electric vehicles, a move expected to reduce manufacturing costs by 10 percent and component weight by 20 percent.
Hideyuki Sakamoto, Executive Vice President for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management at Nissan, highlighted the company’s long-standing expertise in utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques, citing the use of casting boards for structural components at its Tochigi plant for over 15 years.
The automaker’s manufacturing strategy includes the deployment of a 6,000-tonnes gigacasting machine to produce rear body structures using aluminum casting, further emphasizing Nissan’s commitment to innovation in vehicle manufacturing processes.
Looking ahead, Nissan plans to introduce 30 new models over the next three years, with 16 of them being electrified variants, including eight all-battery-powered vehicles and four plug-in hybrids. The company aims to reduce the cost of the next generation of electric vehicles by 30 percent by 2030, making them economically competitive with internal combustion engine models.
Moreover, Nissan is exploring strategic partnerships, including a potential collaboration with domestic rival Honda Motor, to jointly develop key components for electric vehicles and artificial intelligence in automotive software platforms, signaling a commitment to fostering industry collaboration and technological advancement.
Baburajan Kizhakedath