Nissan to launch next-generation solid-state batteries in 2028
Japanese car-maker says it will also save weight and cost by adopting Tesla-style gigacasting in its production methodsNissan says it will begin rolling out EVs with its next-generation solid-state battery technology from 2028 and that new manufacturing techniques will help its electric cars achieve price parity with petrol-powered vehicles before 2030.
Announcing a pilot production line at its Yokohama plant for the advanced solid-state battery packs, Nissan said it was on track to manufacture its first prototype battery by March 2025, before ramping up production to 100-megawatt hours’ worth of batteries per month.
According to Nissan, its solid-state cells will offer up to twice the energy density of today’s batteries while offering significantly shorter charging times. They’ll also be cheaper to make.
Once up and running, Nissan said it plans to produce a ute that will be powered by its advanced batteries but did not confirm if it will be based on its mid-size Navara or a larger truck for the US market.
In a statement, the car-maker said: “Nissan is conducting wide-ranging research and development, from molecular-level battery material research to electric vehicle development, and even city development using EVs as storage batteries.”
The company said it will also follow EV pioneer Tesla’s lead by adopting large-scale gigacasting processes for the rear floor of future models, slashing range-sapping weight by 20 per cent and reducing costs by at least 10 per cent.
Instead of steel, Nissan will use lightweight aluminium, saving yet more kilos.
According to Nissan executives, both the use of solid-state batteries and gigacasting will reduce the cost of its next-generation EVs by around 30 per cent, putting battery-electric vehicle pricing on par with petrol-engined cars for the first time.
Nissan has not yet confirmed the model line on which it will launch its next-generation powertrain tech, but the timing suggests it could be the second generation of the Japanese brand’s Nissan Ariya SUV.
The Ariya has been on sale overseas since 2020, but is still in limbo when it comes to an Australian launch.
Related: More new Nissan models coming
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Related: Nissan Ariya 2022 Review – International
Related: Nissan Ariya finally confirmed for Australia
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