Nissan expects to create 23 electrified vehicles over the next eight years, with 20 of them coming in the next five years alone.
Nissan announced that it will invest 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) over the next five years on research and development of new electric vehicles and battery technology as part of its “Ambition 2030” plan.
It intends to release 15 new electric vehicles by 2030 cars, with electrified vehicles accounting for half of its vehicle line-up.
The automaker expects to create 23 electrified vehicles over the next eight years, with 20 of them coming in the next five years alone. It aims to achieve a market mix of 75% electrified (EV and e-Power PHEV/hybrids) in Europe by 2030, 55% in Japan, and 40% in the US and China by 2030.
The rest of the mix would most likely be made up of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. Nissan declared in early 2021 that by the early 2030s, it wanted to electrify every all-new car is released. Any remaining ICE vehicles will very certainly be vintage models.
According to the company, Nissan plans to release electric vehicles using all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) by 2028 and open a pilot facility in Yokohama as early as 2024. Although that technology offers benefits such as faster charging times, it has yet to be released to the public.
The company plans to reduce the cost of battery packs to $75 per kWh by 2028, with a further drop to $65 per kWh in the future. According to Bloomberg, that would be around half the price of electric vehicle batteries last year.
By 2030, Nissan wants to create 130 GWh of batteries.
According to the firm, by 2026, Nissan and Infiniti vehicles will be equipped with ProPilot driver assistance technology. It wants to include next-generation LIDAR technology “on almost every new vehicle” by the fiscal year 2030.
The Future Concept Cars
As part of Ambition 2030, Nissan unveiled four concept cars: the Chill-Out, Surf-Out, Hang-Out, and Max-Out. Like most concepts, they’re designed to give a taste of Nissan’s future technology, including self-driving, interior features, and merely outlandish designs.
On the other hand, Nissan has only shown photographs of the Chill-Out as an actual vehicle, while renderings of the other three cars have been presented.
- The Chill-Out (top and above) is a small crossover that could be a precursor of Nissan’s next-generation Leaf, which will be a crossover rather than a hatchback. It will be constructed on Ariya’s CMF-EV platform and include a three-force electric all-wheel-drive system, with a 2025 release date.
- The Surf-Out is a compact electric single cab pickup with a good-sized bed and a retractable canopy. It would be equipped with a dual-motor AWD system and a range of power outputs, providing off-road capability, utility power, and increased cargo space.
- The Hang-Out is more akin to a small camper van/SUV designed to “offer a new manner of spending time on the road.” It has a completely flat floor and adjustable, theatre-style seating, allowing it to provide “the comfort of your living room in a transportable area,” as seen in other contemporary EV designs. It also has powerful ProPilot and e-4orce capabilities.
- The Max-Out is a concept convertible sports car with “superlative stability and comfort,” according to the designers. Body roll is reduced to improve handling and occupant comfort to provide “dynamic cornering and steering responsiveness.” It’s said to be light and has a low centre of gravity, as well as superior e-4orce.
Nissan’s new strategy comes as the business struggles with internal issues, including former CEO Carlos Ghosn’s arrest and subsequent flight. As part of its “Nissan Next” plan, which was launched last year, the business wants to decrease fixed expenses by 300 billion yen ($2.65 billion) and reduce production capacity by 20% in the short term.
