Nissan Solid State Battery – AutoWeek Report

It is not surprising that Nissan, of all people, wants to be at the forefront of Solid State Battery technology. The Japanese giant is not afraid to come up with sensational models or techniques. In a literal sense (think of the Cube or the Juke), but also in a figurative sense such as with the Leaf. That was in fact the first functional electric car at an affordable price and in many ways it had everything it took to be one game changer to be. However, he did not quite achieve that and Nissan is now being overtaken left and right by the competition, for example the Ariya is considerably less far ahead of the troops. Yet Nissan has not been idle behind the scenes and the brand will be showing no fewer than five electric concept cars during the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. From the adventurous Hyper Adventure to the compact Hyper Punk and from the enormous MPV Hyper Tourer to the spectacular supercar Hyper Force. The last two are also equipped (on paper) with an All Solid State Battery (ASSB) and that is precisely what should become Nissan’s secret weapon, explains Senior Vice President Powertrain & EV Engineering Toshihiro Hirai in an exclusive conversation with AutoWeek.

Solid State Battery should become a Game Changer for Nissan

“We deliberately show five concepts because we believe in the All Solid State Battery and in the possibilities of V2X technology, i.e. bidirectional charging. The Solid State Battery will really be a game changer for us. One of the advantages can be seen, for example, in the Hyper Tourer Minivan. Because the battery is very compact and therefore fits easily into the floor, there is a lot of space above the floor and the center of gravity is low.” However, precisely in this commitment to developing ASSB technology lies the answer to the question of why Nissan is not currently at the forefront of the current generation of EVs. “We have expressed the ambition to have a functional Solid State Battery on the market by 2028 and we have been developing this technology in recent years. We are now in a Pilot stage, we know that the technology works and we will set up a factory next year to actually produce the batteries. We know that in the current generation of batteries, China is very dominant, we see the rapid rise of a company like BYD. But only a few companies are really working on Solid State and we therefore think we will have a game changer in 2028.”

In conversation with the assembled press, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida endorses the disruptive effect of the rapid rise of Chinese EVs. “We expected this development to take place step by step, but it is happening very quickly.” The CEO even went so far as to describe the recent developments from China as a “wake-up call”, although he did not want to comment on the wisdom of possible import duties on cars from China. “As long as the playing field is level, competition is healthy. It forces us to look from our role as an EV pioneer at how we can remain competitive in all markets where we are active.”

Technology Solid State Battery is from Nissan

Since the end of the last century, Nissan has been in an alliance with the French Renault and Mitsubishi is now the third member of that alliance. Yet it is Nissan that is leading the development of the new battery technology. Hirai: “The reason we develop the technology in-house is that the battery has a lot of influence on other aspects of the car, such as the low center of gravity. So it is essential that we develop that technology ourselves. Of course we look at the other members of the alliance, especially when it comes to production because there are major challenges there. But the technology is ours.” The CEO also endorses the importance of the alliance and of cooperation with other companies in general. “We now think differently about the cars we bring to market and with the regulations we see for EVs it would be a huge challenge for us to do it all on our own. If you want to change, you will have to find partners.”

Nissan is now in the pilot phase, the intention is to scale up in the coming years.

Don’t just focus on Solid State Battery

Although all efforts at Nissan are currently focused on the arrival of the Solid State Battery, Hirai says that efficiency improvements in the electric motors themselves are also being looked at. “If we look at the Ariya now, we have very quiet, powerful engines and we will continue to develop that technology so that the engines become more compact, more efficient and cheaper. For example, we are looking closely at reducing the amount of heavy metals in engines. These are currently mainly needed to increase heat resistance, but we think we can take steps in that direction. That is also necessary when we think about a possible sports car. The electric motor has changed the world of the sports car. We look at all types of electric motors, but for our e-4orce technology, for example, the fast response time of a synchronous motor is essential. And of course we have a big advantage in this area with the experience with the Leaf and we think we can differentiate ourselves compared to the new brands.”

So it will take a few years, but when we ask Hirai whether he believes that Nissan will again be the forerunner in the field of electric mobility in 2028, he says with a twinkle in his eye: “That is our intention. And preparations are in full swing.”