Nissan predicts breakthrough in solid-state batteries by 2029

Nissan wants to make a breakthrough in solid-state batteries

Nissan plans to mass produce next-generation battery-powered electric vehicles by early 2029, the company said during a tour of a pilot plant still under construction.

The manufacturer plans to get a head start on its competitors by achieving the long-awaited breakthrough in solid-state batteries. Which has the distinction of replacing the solid liquids found in conventional batteries with solid metals and is widely seen as the next step for electric cars and automakers are racing to develop versions that can be mass-produced.

Traditional Japanese automakers have lagged behind new rivals like Tesla in the US and BYD in China in the all-electric vehicle sector.

But Nissan, like other companies, sees an opportunity to acquire and perhaps even pursue a new type of battery that promises to be more powerful, cheaper, safer and faster to charge than the lithium-ion batteries used today.

Opponents already in the ranks

Rivals such as Volkswagen and Toyota have also revealed plans to develop electric vehicles with advanced batteries, with Toyota setting a market launch date between 2027 and 2028.

Major challenges remain

However, significant challenges remain before the technology reaches mass production to enable commercialization.

The giant facility Nissan recently revealed is still in its early stages, but company officials said it should begin operating on a trial basis by March 2025, and commercial electric vehicle sales are planned from the 2028 fiscal year, which begins April 2028 to March 2029. .

“Once electric vehicles are launched, costs will decrease compared to the internal combustion engine,” Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto told reporters during a tour of the giant facility in southwest Tokyo. He even emphasized the “practical” side of this type of car, saying “you will never go to the gas station”. Indeed, but it will be necessary to recharge said car. A great way to turn a loss into a profit…

Nissan officials have also indicated that they believe they are close to a solution that involves the use of some form of lithium metal. However, giving few details about many aspects of the technology, including the amount of investment and international production plans.

Our opinion, for leblogauto.com

In February 2023, Nissan claimed to be in a “class-leading position” to deliver the first batch of liquid-free, low-cost advanced batteries in 2025, with planned production of an all-new electric vehicle powered by these batteries. in 2028.

A timeline presented by the company’s senior vice president of research and development in Europe, David Moss, speaking to the British magazine Autocar about the Japanese brand’s progress in solid state technology.

Nissan previously announced its involvement in the production of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles in 2021, saying it will build a test facility where prototype cells will be developed.

A year later, prototype development was underway at the Nissan Research Center in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

Sources: Nissan, Associated Press