From the track to the road, from the road to the track. Many car manufacturers often use this phrase to justify their approach to the electrification of mobility and consequently of motorsport. And among these there are those who do it only in words. Nissan no: the Japanese brand firmly believes in the connection between these two worlds, as demonstrated by the experience carried out both in the world championship of Formula E both from the process of total electrification of the range which is being completed step by step.
The debut in Formula E
About six years have passed since Nissan made its debut in Formula E. The exact moment it made its entry into the championship official, it established a absolute record: Become the first as well as only Japanese manufacturer to enter the series and compete in collaboration with the e.dams race team as Nissan e.dams. All in all, a debut positive: six podiums, five pole positions and 16 Super Poles in qualifying are the numbers of Nissan's first season in Formula E, without forgetting the first victory at the New York E-Prix. Year after year, season after season, the Japanese giant has tried in every way to improve these numbers, and has even succeeded. Next steps in 2022: April, when Nissan acquired the e.dams race team, and June, when the brand announced it would supply its EV powertrain technology to McLaren Racing throughout the Formula E Gen3 era.
From the track to the road
Nissan's experience in Formula E is anything but accidental. The Japanese giant has set itself a very specific objective: to ensure that the excitement and fun of zero-emission electric vehicles reaches a global audience. Because let's not forget that the history of Nissan and electric vehicles began well before Formula E: year zero can be considered 2010, or when the first generation of LEAF, a super model marketed in over 650,000 units to date. And it can precisely be defined as the starting point for Nissan's connection between motorsport and the road, because it was from here that the Japanese company used its experience in electric mobility to develop its Formula E racing car.
Long-term goals
Talking about electrification means talking about decarbonization. In this sense too, Nissan seems to have clear ideas. Clear and ambitious: the goal of the Japanese giant is to reach the carbon neutrality throughout the life cycle of its products by 2050. A target that will have to be achieved step by step, and the first milestone in this sense has been set at the beginning of the next decade, when Nissan intends to electrify the entire range of vehicles in its key markets. With the usual important nail in the head: Bringing experience in transferring knowledge and technologies from the track to the road to offer the best electric vehicles to its customers.
One record after another
And we come to the present day. Only last month Nissan announced its commitment to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship until at least the end of the decade, while also strengthening its electrification plans as part of its Ambition 2030 vision. Another lap, another record: Nissan becomes the first manufacturer to confirm participation in the ABB FIA Formula E GEN4 World Championship until 2030, marking the company's longest commitment – 12 years in total – to the motorsports sector in an FIA World Championship. And be careful, because when we talk about GEN4 we are talking about the one from 2026 to 2030 it will be the most advanced Formula E technology: it will include not only a series of cutting-edge features, such as greater energy efficiency with a regeneration capacity of up to 700kW and greater power of up to 600kW, but also several safety innovations.
Increasingly electrified range
An announcement that testifies to Nissan's ambitions in the world of electric motorsport. And as we said from the beginning, for the Japanese giant track and road go hand in hand: for this reason in the same period, therefore between the fiscal years 2024 and 2030, the company is preparing to introduce 34 electrified models to cover all segments and achieve an electrified mix of 40% globally by fiscal year 2026 and 60% by the end of the decade. And it's no coincidence that Nissan operates in all countries on the current Formula E calendarhaving research and development centers in 16 markets, a number of manufacturing facilities in 13 markets, and multiple design studios in 5 markets.
Connection between two worlds
On the other hand, Makoto Uchida, who is Nissan's CEO, also recognized how Formula E, in addition to providing excitement and entertainment for fans, makes a significant contribution to electrification objectives of the company's Ambition 2030 plan. “The experience on the track will provide us with insights for the technological development of our future products and continue to work for a sustainable world for all”, the Nissan CEO admitted. In short, Nissan he always combined words with facts: and this is the only way forward to ensure that all the promises regarding electrification do not remain promises, but are reflected in reality.
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