Japanese legacy automaker Nissan aims to kick off the mass production of electric vehicle models equipped with its next-gen batteries by early 2029.
Nissan Plans Solid-State Battery Mass-Production by 2029
Nissan announced its plans to mass-produce electric vehicles with its advanced solid-state batteries by early 2029 during a media tour of its underdevelopment Yokohama Plant in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on Tuesday.
According to the press release, Nissan plans to leverage the new pilot line to further innovate the manufacturing technologies for the planned solid-state batteries.
However, Nissan officials omitted to share more details about the new technology, its total investments and global production plans. They only said that the automaker had discovered key, unique materials for the planned SSB, such as a metal form of lithium.
Nissan’s Pilot Plant in Japan
For context, solid-state batteries replace the traditional batteries’ corrosive liquids with solid metals, substantially reducing fire risks in electric vehicles. Therefore, it is unsurprising that many electric automakers race to bring this innovative battery tech to the market on a large scale. However, mass-producing solid-state batteries come with several challenges.
Nissan’s recently unveiled pilot plant remains mostly empty. Nonetheless, Nissan officials announced that the company plans to begin the operation of a pilot production line by March 25. Meanwhile, it set the commercial production of EVs to commence in fiscal year 2028 from April 2028 to March 2029.
“We are finally in the phase of scaling up on our all-solid-state battery line. Our all-solid-state battery technology is a game-changer for making EV sales grow explosively.”
Shunichi Inamijima, Nissan Corporate VP
Nissan Seeks to Catch Up in EV Race with Its New Battery Tech
Japanese legacy automakers, including Nissan, Honda, and Toyota, have significantly fallen behind the electric vehicle race against its global competitors, Tesla and BYD.
Nonetheless, Nissan has a huge potential to catch up in the rapidly growing market with its cutting-edge battery technology. Its planned solid-state battery promises to deliver more power and faster charging capability than li-ion batteries. They are also expected to become more affordable and reliable.
“Once electric vehicles get going, costs will come down compared to the internal combustion engine. They will also be so convenient. For one, you won’t ever have to go to a gas stand.”
Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto told reporters
In hindsight, Nissan pioneered electric vehicles when it launched the Leaf EV in 2010. Now, the company seeks to revitalize its brand with new EV models, including pickups equipped with solid-state batteries.
By 2030, the Japanese automaker aims to roll out 19 new all-electric vehicles and 8 hybrids. It also targets electrified vehicles, including BEVs and HEVs, to account for 55% of its global sales in the same year
