NISSAN EYES NEW VEHICLES ELECTRIFIED BY 2050

Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday all of its new vehicles in key markets will be partly or fully electrified by the early 2030s in a bid to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2050, according to Kyodo News report

Nissan identified the key markets as Japan, China, the United States and Europe.

The Japanese automaker said it "will pursue further innovations in electrification and manufacturing technology to make progress on the company's carbon neutrality goal."

To achieve its target, Nissan plans to produce more competitive and efficient electric vehicles by advancing its development of solid-state batteries aimed at extending driving distance and cutting charging time.

It also hopes to improve the fuel economy of its combustion engines used in the company's so-called e-Power vehicles to generate electricity and power motors.

In May last year, Nissan said in its medium-term business plan that 60 percent of its new cars in Japan will be electrified in fiscal 2023, but it did not provide specific targets for other major markets.

Nissan's recently revamped compact Note car is only offered with the e-Power powertrain. It plans to introduce the new Ariya electric sport utility vehicle in major auto markets this year.

Other Japanese automakers have also been stepping up electrification of their cars. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell at least 5.5 million electrified vehicles -- or half of its global sales -- annually by around 2025. Honda Motor Co. aims to make two-thirds of its global lineup electrified by 2030.

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