Nissan Would Love An Electric Sports Car With Solid-State Batteries

The solid-state battery is seen as the next breakthrough in EV development and a true game changer. Compared to current lithium-ion batteries, the new type can be charged faster and store more energy. The higher density is especially important when it comes to extra weight because automakers don’t have to add bulky batteries to give the car the range it deserves.

With weight being the enemy of performance, there’s a lot of untapped potential for a faster EV that’s not that big. While the new Z was just about to come out with a twin-turbo V6 engine, Nissan was thinking ahead and dreaming of an electric sports car. Talk with AutocarThe company’s Senior VP Chief Planning Officer for the AMIEO region, expressed interest in attractive cars without an internal combustion engine.

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François Bailly admits he “would like to have an EV sports car, but we need to arrange it. We’re not ready to announce the order yet, but it’s definitely on the table.” In other words, such a car is being considered, but there is a bigger fish to fry. He talked about switching the Micra supermini to electric and the next-generation Leaf turning into a crossover.

Then there’s the problem with solid-state batteries because they’re not viable for mass production. Nissan recently announced that they are building a prototype, but that the production car won’t be launched until 2028. However, it seems that the first sports car to use the very promising battery technology is unlikely to be a sports car. Toyota is expected to be the first to launch a car with a solid-state battery, promising to introduce a hybrid by 2025.

What an attractive EV looks like, François Bailly tells Autocar there was internal discussion about the electric GT-R: “Ultimately, that’s going to be a priority so, yeah, we’re looking at it. We’re all car people, right?” While a Godzilla with a solid-state battery may be for sure, Nissan has been very quiet about what will happen after the R35. Gen is currently celebrating 15^th birthday in 2022, so a replacement can’t come soon enough.

Meanwhile, Nissan demonstrated the Max-Out concept a few months ago as an all-wheel-drive electric roadster with two seats and an ultra-lightweight construction. Pictured here, the EV looks neat, but we won’t be holding our breath for a future production version.