Nissan To Mass Produce Next-Gen Electric Vehicles By 2029

Nissan Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto speaks with reporters during a tour of what is set to be a plant for electric vehicles powered by all-solid-state batteries in Yokohama, Japan Tuesday

Nissan announced during a media tour of an unfinished pilot plant in Yokohama, Japan, that it expects to mass produce electric vehicles powered by advanced next-generation batteries by early 2029. The company aims to catch up and potentially leap ahead in the all-electric auto sector, where legacy automakers in Japan have fallen behind newer rivals like Tesla and BYD from the United States and China, respectively.

The new kind of battery Nissan is working on promises to be more powerful, cheaper, safer, and faster to charge than the lithium-ion batteries currently in use. These batteries, known as solid-state batteries, replace the corrosive liquids found in conventional batteries with solid metals, making them a highly anticipated technology for electric vehicles.

Other leading automakers like Volkswagen and Toyota have also announced efforts to produce solid-state EVs, with Toyota aiming to bring them to market by 2027-28. However, there are significant challenges to overcome before this technology can be commercially mass-produced.

New solid-state batteries are more powerful, cheaper, and safer.

Nissan aims to catch up in the electric auto sector.

Solid-state batteries replace corrosive liquids with solid metals.

Nissan showcased an unfinished facility that is scheduled to begin operating a pilot production line by March 2025. Commercial production of EVs using these advanced batteries is set to commence in fiscal year 2028, which runs from April 2028 to March 2029. The company's Executive Vice President highlighted the convenience and cost benefits of electric vehicles over traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

Nissan officials revealed that the company has developed key, unique materials for the batteries, including a metal form of lithium. As an EV pioneer with the introduction of the all-electric Leaf in 2010, Nissan plans to offer solid-state batteries in a range of models, including pickup trucks.

The corporate vice president of Nissan emphasized that the all-solid-state battery technology is a game-changer that will drive explosive growth in EV sales. The company is focused on scaling up its production of these advanced batteries to meet the increasing demand for electric vehicles.