Nissan working to make EVs cheaper

Expect a price drop for Nissan battery-electric vehicles like the Kicks and various other models under the e-POWER portfolio, and even their full electric vehicle (EV) LEAF once the automaker rolls out its new approach to electrified powertrain development.

The Japanese automaker calls it the X-in-1 development strategy and it entails the development of shared and modularized components to improve production efficiency and reduce powertrain costs while reducing the weight and size of these power units for better performance and efficiency. The use of rare earth elements will also be greatly reduced – Nissan aims for 1% of less of magnet weight.

In its current form, the X-in-1 strategy has two powertrain prototypes. One modularizes the motor, inverter, and reducer – three components – for its EV lineup. Hence, a 3-in-1 approach. The other prototype modularizes the motor, inverter, reducer, generator, and increaser – five components – for its e-POWER lineup. That is a 5-in-1 approach.

The target is a 30% reduction in development and manufacturing costs of e-Power and EV models, but do not expect it any time soon. Nissan expects the costs to come down by 2026, four years before it reaches its goal of having 27 new electrified models, including 19 EVs.

“We make the most of our expertise and know-how from our more-than-a-decade-long development and production of electrified technologies. Through our innovations in electrified powertrain development, we’ll continue to create new value for customers and deliver 100% motor-driven vehicles – EVs and e-POWER – as widely as possible,” said Senior Vice President Toshihiro Hirai, powertrain & EV engineering development lead.

If prices of Nissan electrified vehicles come down within the five-year effectivity of PBBM's Executive Order 12 (reduction of the Most-Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rate for EVs to zero and hybrids to 1%), the price drop may be significant enough to entice more Filipinos to shift to EVs or hybrids.