Nissan Testing Heat-Resistant Battery, Adding Two More EV Models

Originally published on Gas2
by Christopher DeMorro

The Nissan Leaf has led the way in America when it comes to electric car sales, and the Japanese automaker is showing no signs of slowing down its EV onslaught. In addition to the Leaf, a compact Infiniti EV, and an all-electric version of the NV2000 cargo van, Nissan plans to launch two new electric models, along with a new, heat-resistant battery in the new few years.

The new, heat-resistant battery is a response to customer complaints from hotter areas, like Phoenix, Arizona, where a well-publicized private demonstration showed that Leaf batteries were losing range faster than Nissan said they would. This stems back to Nissan’s decision to use an air-cooled battery, rather than liquid cooling.

The new battery is said to be able to reliably withstand internal temperatures of 113 degrees F, thanks to new chemistry, but the packs still lack liquid-cooling systems. Obviously Nissan is aiming for mass-market appeal, which means keeping costs down, and leading into our next bit of news.

Nissan is planning to add two more unspecified EV models to its lineup in the next few years. While a timetable was not specified, nor were the models hinted at, Nissan is reaffirming its commitment to pure electric vehicles. With more than a billion dollars invested in EV technology, Nissan needs to make the technology work for them. So what kind of models is Nissan working on?

I’m thinking a high-end electric sports car, an Infiniti-badged competitor for the Tesla Model S mayhaps, as well as an entry-level micro EV like some concepts Nissan has showcased the past few years. What’s on your EV wishlist?

Source: Automotive News | Green Car Reports