Nissan is the globe’s 13th largest automaker by revenue and saw its sales increase by almost a quarter last year. It builds one of America’s 10 best-selling cars, the Rogue small SUV. Yet, not all is well at Nissan.
The company’s dealerships are overstocked. While most dealers aim to keep about a 60-day supply of cars in stock, numbers from Kelley Blue Book parent company Cox Automotive show that the average Nissan dealer currently has more than 100 days. They’re marking down cars more than the industry average to sell down the backlog.
So, despite its success, the company sees a need for a new plan. Nissan announced that plan this week.
Among the highlights:
- The company will launch 30 new models by 2026 – a combination of brand-new products and updates to existing cars
- 16 of those 30 will be electrified — a term that can mean electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid
- After 2026, the company will push more heavily into electrification, aiming for 60% of its lineup to be electrified by the end of the decade
- Nissan will aim to reach price parity between electric vehicles (EVs) and gas-powered cars by 2030
Two Launched Last Week
Nissan didn’t specify which vehicles will see significant updates by 2026, but we imagine the count started last week. That week, luxury brand Infiniti revealed an all-new version of its QX80 flagship SUV, and Nissan showed off a handsome new version of its affordable Kicks subcompact SUV.
Nissan has been one of the automakers most vocal about solid-state EV batteries, a future technology that promises longer ranges, faster charging, and improved fire safety. Last year, the company said it expected to have solid-state batteries on the road by 2028.
The updated business plan didn’t mention a target date but said Nissan will offer three battery types – today’s lithium-ion cells, more affordable lithium iron phosphate cells, and solid-state batteries, “to provide diversified EVs to meet different customer needs.”
Nissan promised new strategic partnerships to help it reach these goals but didn’t specify what they might be. Multiple media reports say Nissan has pulled out of talks with EV startup Fisker. Those talks would have seen Nissan help the troubled company stay afloat in exchange for an agreement to build at least one EV — a pickup truck — using Fisker technology.
