In early 2022, Nissan announced plans to begin series production of solid-state batteries in 2028. Before that happens, a pilot production plant will be operational by 2025, with engineering work completed by 2026. In a new interview with UK magazine Carthe company’s vice president for R&D in Europe spoke of three main advantages.
David Moss reiterated that the solid-state battery will triple the charging speed, reaching up to 400 kW. In addition, Nissan wants to double the energy density and halve production costs compared to current lithium-ion batteries. At this stage of development, engineers in Japan working with scientists at the University of Oxford have created a 10-centimeter square cell. The final cell will be about the same size as a laptop.
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Nissan is working on an all-solid-state battery, meaning all liquid elements will be removed. said Moss Car Automakers currently have an advantage when it comes to removing liquid electrolytes. Storing it will negatively impact energy and power transfer. He went on to mention using the new technology would make it more feasible to launch electric pickup trucks and large SUVs.
Featured here, the futuristic Surf-Out launches in late 2021. However, 2028 is a long way off, so it seems unlikely the concept is an early preview of an electric car with a solid-state battery. This may or may not be related to recent rumors about Nissan planning a small electric truck for the United States.
Moss declined to specify which EV would be the first to use solid-state batteries, but strongly suggested it was unrelated to the current model. He explained an entirely new architecture was needed, mentioning Nissan could offer two battery sizes that can be recharged at a constant rate without depending on temperature variations.
Going after solid-state batteries doesn’t mean Nissan has abandoned lithium-ion batteries as Moss believes the two will coexist for a while. A new generation of lithium-ion packs should be ready around the middle of the decade, with cobalt-free batteries slated to follow in 2028. The last generation is expected to cut costs by up to 65 percent compared to current batteries.
Meanwhile, the combustion engine remains relevant, but Moss says it won’t be updated to comply with the much criticized Euro 7 regulations. The logic behind this decision is that strict emission laws will make ICE-powered much more expensive in the European Union while EVs are expected to become more affordable. As a result, price parity between ICE and EV is a matter of when, not if. Moss said: “we are not too far from where they will pay the fee.”
Nissan won’t be the first automaker to have a production car with a solid-state battery as Toyota has promised to beat everyone else in the market by 2025. However, the vehicle in question isn’t an EV but a hybrid. BMW is one of several companies working on the technology and has promised to start its own pilot production later this year, with a demonstrator vehicle before 2025.
