These 4 Nissan EV concepts preview big investments and bigger risks

Nissan has revealed not one but three new concept cars, though it's the ambitions behind the trio of electric vehicles that promise to be more disruptive. Though the Japanese automaker may be known for its Leaf EV, it's now aiming to expand that electrified portfolio considerably with 15 new all-electric models by 2030.

It's part of what the company is calling Nissan Ambition 2030, a more aggressive push into reduced and zero-emissions vehicles than we've seen from it so far. Though the Leaf has been a strong seller for Nissan, the automaker has arguably been content to rely upon it too eagerly: as a result, while other car-makers have been quick to add EVs and hybrids to their ranges, such models have been markedly absent from Nissan dealerships.

Nissan's challenge – or at least one considerable element of it here – is the same that all automakers currently face. Battery supplies are one significant bottleneck for EV and hybrid production, with the aggressive roadmaps that each car-maker has committed to being reliant on getting sufficient li-ion or similar power packs. There, Nissan has a few strategies, including all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) it has in development.

Initially, it'll be lithium-ion that motivates the Nissan and Infiniti EV fleet. By fiscal year 2026, the automaker says it aims to increase global battery production capacity to 52 gigawatt-hours (GWh), working with its partners to ensure adequate supply. That goal almost triples by fiscal year 2030, to 130 GWh.

Key to that will be improvements in li-ion battery tech, along with cutting out cobalt – supplies of which have proved to be a bottleneck within a bottleneck – to help trim costs. By fiscal year 2028, Nissan predicts, it should have brought down the cost of li-ion batteries by 65%.

Beyond that, however, Nissan is looking to proprietary all-solid-state batteries (ASSB) it has been working on. They should go into pilot production by 2024, and then appear in the first production EV by fiscal year 2028, the company now says. At that point, ASSB should help trim the cost of battery packs to $75 per kWh, Nissan promises. At $65 per kWh – which is possible in the future, Nissan insists – there should be cost parity between EV and gasoline vehicles.

ASSB isn't just about price, however, but performance too. Charging time could be trimmed to one third of li-ion batteries, the automaker suggests, addressing one of the most common complaints about the practicality of electric vehicles. It'll spend up to 20 billion yen ($176 million) on bolstering charging infrastructure, though it's unclear where and how that investment will be focused. More dynamic vehicles should also be possible through adopting ASSB.

Beyond use in EVs, however, battery refurbishing will also be a key commitment. Nissan currently has such facilities in Japan, but intends to open new locations in Europe during the 2022 fiscal year. In 2025, US locations will be opened too. "Nissan's refurbishing infrastructure will support a circular economy in energy management," the automaker says, "and the company aims to fully commercialize its vehicle-to-everything and home battery systems in the mid-2020s."

Down the line, Nissan is previewing just what its electrified ambitions might look like with three new concepts. Dubbed Max-Out, Surf-Out, and Hang-Out, they aim to illustrate just how battery-electric – and ASSB in particular – could upend three popular categories of car.

The Nissan Surf-Out concept, for example, combines electrification with the ever-popular pickup body style. It uses all solid-state batteries and Nissan's Advanced e-4ORCE all-wheel drive, tapping both to deliver not only a conveniently low and flat cargo space, but useful power outlets that permit running work or campsite equipment from the truck's supply.

As for the Nissan Max-Out, that also taps Advanced e-4ORCE but here relies on the electric motor system for an uptick in on-road performance. With a lower center of gravity and an equally low curb weight, the goal is cutting body roll and capturing some of that dynamic feel that traditional convertibles were much-beloved for. However, though there's seating for two inside, the passenger side can also flatten for more cargo space when someone is driving solo.

Finally, the Nissan Hang-Out is a compact crossover that aims to illustrate just why cabin space can be a big beneficiary from EV drivetrains. With a completely flat floor – and Advanced e-4ORCE and Advanced ProPILOT underneath – its interior can be turned from passenger vehicle to mobile living room or even a compact movie theater.