Nissan Working on Lighter, Cheaper EV Battery

True to its self proclaimed name of the world's first mass EV manufacturer, Japanese carmaker Nissan goes on with its plans to become the no. 1 player on the electric vehicle market. Aside from being about the only one attacking from all sides (EV development, infrastructure setup and recycling), Nissan also announced plans to make current batteries cheaper and lighter for its future vehicles.

“If you want to be in control of the cost, you’d better be involved,” Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO was quoted as saying by Autonews at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, in the opening days of the Tokyo Motor Show. “We want to make sure we can drive the battery where we want to go.”

Although no details have been released, Nissan confirmed it is working on a battery which will be smaller, lighter and less expensive than today's lithium-ion power sources. Nissan also confirmed plans to outsource its batteries to independent suppliers.

The new battery is likely to find its way into the future mass EV, the Leaf. The first of its kind (manufactured by a global carmaker and to be sold in all markets), the Leaf currently has a 100 miles (160 km) range. The battery currently under development is said to provide some four times that mileage, according to an official of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who partnered with Nissan earlier this year.

Earlier today, the carmaker announced a new partnership with Sumitomo Corporation for the development of a new way to reuse the lithium-ion batteries, as soon as they become depleted.