The price and charging time of electric cars will no longer be an issue for Nissan

Nissan is keen to address the two big problems with electric cars that keep many people from buying them. In the coming years, the automaker plans to face the obstacles of price and recharge time with its prototype 50% cheaper, which loads in up to 7 minutes. This surprising bet from the Japanese brand has solid state batteries.

Solid-state batteries and cell energy density

During an interview with the British magazine Autocar, Nissan's Vice President of Research and Development stated that solid-state batteries charge three times faster, reaching 400 kW. Therefore, an electric car with 50 kW of battery capacity can be charged in just seven and a half minutes.

Solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes (minerals that carry an electrical charge) in place of the liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. So they allow for greater energy density, which guarantees the use of less raw material so that the same autonomy is achieved.

According to AutoSport, Nissan is looking at ways to double the energy density of the cells, so that in production the cells are the same size as a notebook computer. To complete, the Japanese automaker is also trying to reduce the cost of the electric car by 50%, in order to make it accessible to a greater number of people.

Predictions for the arrival of the new electric car on the market

Nissan's first commercial model with this type of technology is scheduled to hit the market in 2028. However, tests and experiments with the new electric car are due to start in 2025, and the engineering work is expected to finish in 2026.

The big challenge for the automaker to use solid-state battery technology is associated with costs, sensitivity to pressure and temperature, and lithium debris, which can overheat the battery and cause fires.

Finally, the vice president guaranteed the presence of the current batteries, which will have a new generation in 2025 and cobalt versions in 2028. Meanwhile, combustion engines will remain relevant, especially in countries like Brazil, but they will not be upgraded to meet the Euro7 emissions standard.