Nissan is one of many automakers that believe solid-state batteries will be a key part of making EVs more popular.
The company will continue to develop lithium-ion batteries for a while still.
Nissan says these batteries could double energy density and triple charging speeds.
More and more automakers are beginning to consider solid-state batteries as a key part of the future of EVs, including Nissan.
The Japanese automaker announced it was working on this new technology about a year ago and it has now confirmed that its first vehicle to be powered by solid-state batteries is still on track to be launched in 2028.
This new type of battery removes the liquid component of the current lithium-ion technology, which helps address many of its weaknesses.
Indeed, solid-state batteries are cheaper and less polluting to manufacture while also being more resistant to temperature changes and faster to charge.
Nissan even believes that these batteries will be twice as energy-dense as current units while also cutting charging times by three, reaching rates of 400 kW.
In addition, electric vehicles with solid-state batteries should be able to retain most of their range even in very cold temperatures and they won’t require an elaborate battery temperature management system as do current EVs.
In addition, each of the cells used in Nissan vehicles should be about the size of a laptop, which could allow engineers to significantly reduce the size of the battery pack and perhaps its weight.
The automaker says that solid-state batteries will lend themselves well to use in large pickups and SUVs, which could be a hint at products to come.
As of now, the company has yet to announce which vehicle will receive this new technology, but they are unlikely to be related to current models because the entire structure of the vehicle will likely have to be modified.
Unlike some other companies, Nissan doesn’t intend to abandon research and development of lithium-ion batteries since it expects both technologies to be sold alongside one another for a few years.
Indeed, the automaker even says two new lithium battery generations will be launched by 2028, including one that won’t contain Cobalt.
