Nissan Electric Plans: Micra and Beyond

05/26/2023
Peter Weissenberg, Spotpress

On paper, Guillaume Pelletreau has an impossible task to complete: the manager of Nissan has recently been responsible for an area of ​​operation that extends from the coast near the Antarctic of New Zealand to the vast area of ​​the Indian continent to the polar circle of Norway. . “But thank God I can delegate many responsibilities to the other side of the world – I have to think of the whole region,” says the Frenchman.

Think and take action around the world

This is why responsibility around the world makes sense. Because the work of the former German boss of the brand has recently been electrified and committed to the environment of the Japanese company. But that can only work effectively “if you think and act globally,” says Pelletreau. And above all: Gas gives – or rather electricity.

Because the alliance of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi has a lot to do, as Pelletreau knows from his experience with German dealers and customers. For some time now, the Japanese have not been able to offer anything similar to loyal owners of classic Nissan products such as the Almera, Pulsar, Pixo, Maxima or Micra – neither conventional nor electric. The best sellers in the range, such as the Juke and Qashqai, were therefore able to partially offset the loss of market share. “There probably won’t be a 3.60 meter short Pixo for 5,873 euros (all original prices) again,” says the 51-year-old.

Micra as an affordable electric car

For less than 16,800 euros, however, a small car will probably also appear at Nissan in a few years – perhaps on a modified basis, as used in Japan with the city Sakura or Dacia Spring. And in other groups there should be medicine early. Always environmentally friendly and electric, of course.

In particular, the pre-sale Micra should also be on the road as an electric car in a year or two: as a sister model to the new Renault 5 – and on a common alliance platform called CMF-BEV. The familiar design of the Micra will probably be more confused with a square, but at least visually it will have a silhouette of round LED headlights. And very important: Because the kit is cheaper to produce than that of the Renault Zoe, for example, the price should also be less than 21,000 euros.

There are no versions in the standard compact and medium class

But the new e-pallet should not be made cheap either. The Ariya, which runs on the slightly larger CMF-EV platform, gives an indication of this. The compact SUV has a nice high-end design and shows where the ride is headed. However, with prices starting at 39,907 euros, it is already clear that the image of a price break is no longer the goal. There will also be other Nissan models on the same platform.

Pelletreau insists that even without offerings in the classic compact or mid-size car category, the range should be expanded quickly. The three brands want to invest 23 billion euros over the next five years and develop a total of 35 new electric structures by 2030.

Establishment of battery production worldwide

To ensure that the car armada also has the required drive, the partners also want to set up battery production facilities worldwide with a capacity of 220 gigawatt hours. That’s how the VW Group is planning Europe. Together with a major cell supplier for everyone, this should cut the cost of batteries in half in the next three years alone, and even more after that. The basis of departure in regions where the price determines the sale. “In Greece, Romania or even India, the energy transition in the car is the only way to do it,” the manager says. And in this country too, a new car can only be bought by price conscious customers with the cheapest batteries.

Own a solid state battery

However, Nissan’s solid-state battery, which the Japanese are also working on, should bring redemption to expensive e-mobility. It should double the energy density compared to today’s batteries, reduce the charging time by two thirds, but above all reduce the cost of the battery by around 65 euros per kilowatt hour.

This is the electric base for Pelletreau to win more Nissan customers again in the competition with many old and new competitors. Electricity, sustainable and possibly anywhere between the South Pole and the North Pole.