Nissan’s racy new EV concept previews an all-electric future in Europe

Designed by Nissan’s London design team, the non-production EV hatchback (called Concept 20-23) with circle daytime-running lights is compact — precisely like what you’d expect carmakers to make for the European market.

Under its “Ambition 2030” plan, Nissan says it’ll globally introduce 19 new electric vehicles alongside eight “electrified” vehicles. The automaker plans to fast-track the European market specifically, where it says a third of its global EV sales take place.

Nissan says it now only sells hybrid and electric models in Europe — including the “e-Power” non-plugin hybrid Qashqai crossover and X-Trail compact SUV as well as the Nissan Ariya EV and Townstar electric van.

Nissan’s next EVs in Europe include an EV version of the extra compact Micra, which will act as Nissan’s entry-level vehicle, and another yet-to-be-revealed car is slated for manufacturing at the automaker’s Sunderland plant in the UK.

To support its ambitions of an all-electric lineup, Nissan is carving out plans to reduce battery costs by 65 percent by 2028. The plans include switching to lower-cost chemistries that eschew cobalt (often considered the blood diamond of the tech world).

In that same timeframe, Nissan is reiterating plans made last year that it will launch solid-state batteries that it says can reduce EV charging time “to one-third” and reduce battery costs down to $75 per kWh (and later $65). The US Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office reported that, in 2022, batteries for EVs produced at scale cost about $153 per kWh. In 2021, Nissan announced plans to spend 2 trillion yen (around $17.6 billion) over five years to accelerate its EV development globally.

Besides Nissan’s promises for an all-electric lineup this decade, the automaker hasn’t shown much progress. The automaker was a pioneer in the electric vehicle market with its Nissan Leaf (which may be destined for the dustbin) but has not shown more of its EV progress beyond its good (if kind of boring and safe) Ariya SUV. Hopefully we’ll see more of its promised new EVs soon that aren’t just concept convertibles.