Nissan is the largest UK motor manufacturer. They have pledged to go all-electric in Europe by 2030 and are confident that a new generation of solid state batteries will cut costs and do away with range anxiety.
At present, UK battery production lags far behind the predicted demand by 2030. According to a House of Commons report, the UK is in a global battery race that it is clearly not winning. The UK currently has only one gigafactory, run by Envision AESC near Nissan’s plant in Sunderland. This plan has less than 2GWh of capacity – about 2% of the predicted demand by UK car manufacturers in 2030.
China, South Korea, Japan and Germany are recognised as the industry leaders in innovation and development of EV batteries, while the United States government has a number of strategic initiatives to catch up.
While UK demand for EVs stalled slightly in 2023, demand and market share continue to grow in other countries and it is clear that the main vehicle manufacturers, like Nissan, are ignoring the political pressure to slow down the move to EVs.
One of the reasons for this apparent disconnect appears to be breakthroughs in All solid state battery (ASSB) technology. which will lower the weight and cost of EV batteries and do away with range anxiety well before the 2030 deadline.
All solid state batteries have an energy density approximately twice that of conventional lithium-ion batteries, significantly shorter charging time and lower cost as they use less expensive materials. They also do not have the same risk of overheating.
Car companies are buying into ASSB research companies, while governments all over the world are scrambling to get into the act. Ford and BMW have invested in a company called Solid Power that has previously said it will manufacture enough cells for 800,000 cars a year by 2028. Mercedes-Benz has invested in a firm called Factorial Energy and Toyota has signed a deal with a company working on a sulphide solid electrolyte.
Nissan’s prototype production facility for laminated all-solid-state battery cells went into operation in mid-2023 in Japan. Under its long-term vision, Nissan Ambition 2030, the company aims to launch an EV with all-solid-state batteries developed in-house by 2028.
Nissan believes all solid state batteries will halve battery costs to around $75 per kWh in 2028 and fall to $65 per kWh, thereafter, placing EVs at the same cost level as petrol or diesel powered vehicles.
The company has announced it will build three fully electric models at its Sunderland plant as part of a £2 billion investment. In addition to the next generation Leaf, the company has confirmed that Sunderland will be the site for production of all-electric versions of Qashqai and Juke.
Photo courtesy Nissan.
