Nissan Ups Its EV Target, Plans Second U.S. Battery Plant

The battery-electric Nissan Ariya CUV is just trickling into U.S. showrooms as it phases out the Leaf BEV. The Japanese automaker is feeling bullish about its BEV prospects, raising production targets and announcing it will site a second battery plant in the U.S. to support future growth plans.

In a business update, Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said the company plans to have 27 “electrified” vehicles by 2030, including 19 battery-electric vehicles, up from a goal of 23 electrified vehicles and 15 BEVs it announced last year.

The 2030 target for Nissan’s global electrified sales mix includes the automaker’s hybrid e-Power models.

That’s a very aggressive schedule of rollouts considering the underperforming Leaf has been Nissan’s only BEV for the past decade, with the Ariya just arriving at dealerships. Nissan’s Infiniti luxury brand has no current BEVs at dealerships despite a 2018 target the company set to have all Infiniti offerings electrified by 2021.

The Biden Admin. has said it wants 40% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 to be BEVs, although that’s not a mandated target. Almost all automakers are stating aggressive BEV goals to comply with California mandates and targets set by the U.S., the European Union and China. But the adoption of BEVs by U.S. consumers is unpredictable, especially as it relates to charging infrastructure outside of California.

The U.S. government and automakers including Mercedes-Benz, General Motors and Volkswagen are assisting with investments in charging, but the pace is slow, and maintaining the operability of the chargers is proving to be as big a challenge as it is to build them at all.

If the U.S. goal, or the goals of automakers to have at least 40% of new-vehicle sales electrified –BEVs, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell EVs –by 2030, much of that growth is expected to come after 2026 and only if the government and automakers succeed in expanding fast-charging networks and making them more reliable.

Nissan stated last year that it has launched a $500 million plan to transform its Canton, MS, assembly plant to build all-new Nissan and Infiniti BEV models starting in 2025; the company has now invested $13.5 billion in its U.S. manufacturing operations.

In addition to BEV production at its Smyrna, TN, plant, Nissan plans to build electric powertrains at its Decherd plant in the same state Nissan’s Gupta says.

Gupta adds that Nissan is looking to add a second source of batteries produced in the U.S., which would supplement its existing supply from Envision AESC, also located in Smyrna. Nissan intends to comply with the Inflation Reduction Act, which mandates local production of batteries in order to qualify for future federal tax credits for BEVs, the executive says.

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Nissan has two EV platforms it is leveraging globally for BEVs. At least three forth coming, announced Infiniti vehicles will be built on the CMF-EV platform that has been developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and underpins the Nissan Ariya and Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, and future C- and D- segment EVs across five brands. It also supports all-wheel-drive configurations. The CMF-BEV platform underpins B-Segment EV vehicles going forward.

Earlier this month, Nissan said it is investing in Ampere, Renault’s electric-vehicle and software business  in Europe, up to a 15% stake. Nissan and Renault have been partnering on BEV technology, with Nissan leading in developing a next-generation battery.