Nissan pulls the plug on its +$1 billion EV battery plant as the alarm bells go off

As it scrambles to turn things around, Nissan is scrapping plans to build a new LFP battery plant in Japan. The facility was expected to be key to reducing EV battery costs to keep up with leaders like BYD.

Nissan abandons plans for new EV battery plant in Japan

Nissan is scrambling to turn the company around. The Japanese automaker announced on Friday that it will “abandon plans to build a new plant” in Japan that was scheduled to produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

The decision comes as Nissan is “considering all options to restore its performance.” Nissan said it will continue working on a strategy for EV batteries “aligned with market needs” as part of its turnaround efforts.

Nissan just received approval to build the new EV battery plant in Japan from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) in September.

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The batteries were set to be installed in Nissan’s mini vehicles starting in 2028, part of an investment of over $1 billion (153.3 billion yen).

Nissan was scheduled to receive up to 55.7 billion yen ($384 million) in government support to help build a domestic supply chain.

Like other Japanese automakers, Nissan is facing weaker sales in key markets like China and North America. The company expects to post a net loss as high as 750 billion yen ($5.2 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2025.

The new LFP plant was expected to help Nissan cut EV battery costs by 20% to 30%, with up to 5 GWh annual production capacity.

Later this year, Nissan will launch the next-gen LEAF in the US and Canada. After unveiling the updated EV in March, Nissan claimed the new LEAF will have “significant range improvements.”

Nissan dropped the iconic hatch design for a more crossover-like profile. It will also come with a native NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers.

Although official specs and pricing will be revealed closer to launch, Nissan’s vehicle programs chief, Francois Bailly, told TopGear.com the new LEAF is expected to have 373 miles (600 km) driving range (WLTP)

Electrek’s Take

Although Nissan cited “market needs” and is looking to cut costs as part of its turnaround plans, abandoning the LFP battery plant will likely only set it back further in the long run.

BYD and other leading EV brands are quickly gaining market share in key regions like Southeast Asia, Central, and South America, as well as parts of Europe, where Japanese automakers like Nissan and Toyota generate a good portion of sales.

Now, BYD is taking aim at Japan. The Chinese automaker plans to launch its first mini EV, or kei car, next year, which is expected to be “a huge threat” to Japanese automakers.

Nissan’s decision comes a day after Toyota’s President, Koji Sato, said the company is “reviewing” plans to sell 1.5 million EVs by 2026.

Source: Nikkei, Nissan