Interview with Arnaud Charpentier from Nissan: We are working on surprises!

By 2030, Nissan has big plans and wants to be fully electric, correct?

Charpentier: Essentially, Euro 7, including its introduction in 2025 and its specifications, will be decisive. There are no official facts yet, but it is highly likely that it will no longer be worthwhile to invest in a new combustion engine generation. However, we know from our analyses that not all customers want to switch to fully electric right away, which is why we will transition from electrifying the combustion engine in several stages to fully electric drives. From 2030, we will only sell electric models.

Can you elaborate a bit more on the model planning? Nissan had many iconic models in its program, like the GT-R and ZX, as well as the Navara and Patrol?

Charpentier (smiles): You forgot the Qashqai and the Juke, as well as Leaf and Ariya! They are our new icons. But let's go step by step. Below the Ariya, we have already announced an electric B-segment crossover and the entry-level will be an electric small car, which we are developing together with Renault (an iconic derivative based on the R5, editor's note). And in our "Ambition 2030," we have already showcased further ideas. One thing is clear: if we were to bring a fully electric GT-R, it must be something that is not half-hearted but rather a surprise that no one would have expected. We are working on that.

Is Nissan planning to upgrade the brand towards premium?

Charpentier: No, that wouldn't fit the image. The "upward movement" will happen for us in terms of equipment and technology, but always within the framework that benefits the customers. And even in the future, we will do some things differently than others, just as we are doing now with E-Power. It is important that we always keep the customers in focus and take them along with us.

That makes the "world car" seem a long way off. Nissan serves North and South America, Asia, and Europe. Completely different regions with sometimes completely different products? How can you increase volumes and synergies?

Charpentier: If you had asked me that two years ago, I would have seen it critically as well. In the meantime, the transformation towards CO2 neutrality is happening worldwide. And for Nissan, the Europe region also includes the Middle East and Oceania with Australia and New Zealand. In all markets, the CO2 requirements for automakers will become dramatically stricter in the coming years. We are prepared for that. And with the CO2 requirements, the interest and demand for Leaf and Ariya are also noticeably increasing - even in Saudi Arabia, an oil country! This means: Electromobility is coming, but at different speeds.

Nissan is also a pioneer in Vehicle to Grid and the topic of second-life batteries or battery recycling. Recently, it has become somewhat quiet around these topics. Were you too early, or is the topic not that important?

Charpentier: Oh yes! Technically, both topics are not new and absolutely solvable. This is not science fiction and must come. However, more customers and grid operators need to recognize the possibilities of the overall electromobility system as a mobile buffer storage. And the topics of second life and battery recycling are set anyway, if only because of the availability of raw materials.

How many cars are needed in the EU to completely integrate them into an energetic ecosystem?

Charpentier (laughs): Many – very many! And the willingness of energy providers to actually do it! Unfortunately, this willingness isn’t always present, as a significant lobby stands behind it and decentralized energy supply is rather a thorn in their side. But back to your question: It is not yet clear how large the stock of bidirectional electric vehicles needs to be. There need to be several hundred thousand electric vehicles to have an effect on the grid. Scaled up for the EU, this means millions of cars – that’s when the topic of vehicles as buffer storage in the V2X system becomes really exciting!

Thanks to ChadeMO, the Leaf could already do that, but the Ariya can’t anymore?

Charpentier: That’s due to the charging standards. In Europe and the USA, CCS has prevailed. But it too should become V2X-capable. And the demand for comprehensive energy systems from customers doesn’t stop! Many private individuals and small fleets are well aware of the potential. Therefore, we firmly believe that the integration of electromobility into energy cycles will come – and we will be prepared for it!

Thank you for the interview.

The interview was conducted by Gregor Soller