1,000-hp Nissan GT-R EV successor getting solid-state battery?

Nissan has unveiled some of its plans concerning solid-state battery technology, which will launch in a series-production EV by 2028. The Japanese manufacturer also hints that these smaller, more energy-dense batteries will be perfect for a sports car like the next-generation GT-R.

Solid-state batteries are seen as the next big step in EV technology. Thanks to a solid electrolyte rather than a liquid substance used in today’s batteries, these batteries offer a higher energy density, faster charging, and more safety. Car manufacturers, including Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai, BMW, Toyota, and third-party suppliers like CATL, are developing solid-state batteries.

Nissan solid-state EV coming in 2028

Nissan, too, is gearing up toward the production of solid-state batteries. It is developing a pilot line for this new technology at its Yokohama headquarters in Japan, aiming to launch a series-production electric vehicle equipped with solid-state batteries by 2028.

The company hints that the next-generation GT-R could be the first model to receive this new technology. “You can imagine multiple things because you can package as much energy in half the space. So you could easily apply it to things like sports cars,” Ivan Espinosa, Nissan’s global vice president of product planning, told Autocar.

A model with a smaller production volume and a higher price would also make sense when launching solid-state batteries. “Initially, the cost might be high. However, as technology matures, costs will go down. And because it has greater density, you need less material per battery to deliver the same amount of power, so the overall cost should be competitive.” More affordable models with solid-state batteries will, therefore, likely follow a bit later down the line.

Hyper Force concept car as a preview

In terms of what we can expect from Nissan’s next-gen, electric GT-R, we simply need to look toward the Hyper Force concept car, which was presented at the Japan Mobility Show in November 2023. This low-slung supercar already featured a GT-R badge and GT-R-like double round taillights, making the intentions clear.

In terms of power, Nissan imagined a 1,000-kW (1,360-hp) drivetrain with e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive technology. The concept car, too, featured an “all-solid-state battery,” matching up nicely with what we’re expecting from Espinosa’s comments to Autocar. We only need to wait until 2028 to see if our predictions come true.