Nissan Carrying Out Feasibility Study to Manufacture EVs in India

Japan-based auto major Nissan is econducting a feasibility study for producing electric vehicles in India, including setting up a battery manufacturing unit, announced the company’s Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta.

The major has already initiated the one-year study and it is slated to be completed in the next nine months. If it gets a positive outcome, then the company will consider manufacturing EVs not just for the Indian market but for exports as well. Nissan, which is also developing 'Kei' (mini) electric cars in Japan in partnership with Mitsubishi, could also consider 'Kei' electric mini commercial vehicles for the Indian market to address the needs of the last mile delivery segment, which is rapidly growing. Stating that Nissan is moving ahead with its electrification strategy all over the world, Gupta said for India.

"what we are studying today are the three things. One is the car manufacturing, but the most important second thing is the battery manufacturing. If the battery is an integral part of the car manufacturing, we need to have battery and car together in terms of industrialisation".

"He stressed that to have a successful EV industry, India should not think of importing either fully built or assembling completely knocked down units. "India should do the electric car right from zero, fully localised... The battery technology is so important in electric cars. And if India gets the competitiveness on battery technology, then I think India becomes a global hub for the electric car export," Gupta said.

He also said that for localisation of battery manufacturing the minimum capacity requirement is a gigawatt."You need to have proper infrastructure to manufacture batteries because of the safety, high voltage current and so on. So at minimum, we have to put in a gigawatt. Obviously, we need those kinds of volume," Gupta said.

"Replying to a query if Nissan would look at opportunities in the electrification of last mile delivery in India, he said, "Now we are working with Mitsubishi to come up with an EV 'Kei' car. And I'm pretty sure that one day we will come up with the 'Kei' commercial vans because that's where the last mile delivery or last mile mobility stands for.

"Stressing that customer behaviour will drive the company to push and go for last mile delivery, he said, "I think after we are out with this, Kei EV in Japan, I think there's a big opportunity to talk about in India."

On Nissan's future plans, he said, "We have already started working on other product lineup to complement success which has been brought by the Magnite."He further said the company's new Chairperson for Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO), Guillaume Cartier, who could not come due to COVID-19, will be travelling to India in the next six months "to talk about the business plan for India, with the next products".

The Japanese automaker on Thursday unveiled Nissan EV36Zero, a 1 billion pound flagship electric vehicle (EV) hub in Sunderland, UK.

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