For Nissan's electric vehicles, and even hybrids, the industry is indifferent, or rather, Nissan's impression on the outside world of new energy has regressed too much

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The tide of the times cannot accommodate the once king lying down.

Amidst the increasingly fierce competition in the electric vehicle market, Nissan Motor recently announced the recall of over 23,000 Leaf electric vehicles in the United States due to the risk of fire during rapid charging.

As the world's first mass-produced pure electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf once set a record of zero spontaneous combustion over 10 billion kilometers. Now, Nissan has proactively recalled vehicles due to the "risk of fire during battery charging," raising concerns among consumers about the safety of Nissan electric vehicles, and this incident may impact Nissan's electrification strategy and its market share in the United States.

Nissan, once hailed as "Technology Nissan" and "Sales Champion of Japanese Brands," is now facing dual challenges in sales and quality.

Multiple recalls within the year

Recalls of vehicles with potential safety hazards are not uncommon in the automotive industry, and even proactive recalls can enhance customer trust and establish a responsible brand image. However, frequent and large-scale recalls also raise significant doubts about brand quality among consumers.

On October 10, Nissan announced the recall of a total of 23,887 vehicles in the United States, including the 2019-2020 model years of the Leaf. These vehicles were produced at Nissan's Smyrna plant from August 29, 2018, to November 3, 2020, and equipped with CHAdeMO Level 3 fast-charging ports, affecting both the 60kWh and 40kWh models of the Leaf.

Nissan stated that there may be excessive lithium deposits in the affected vehicle battery packs, which could increase resistance and cause fluctuations in charging status. The increased resistance during Level 3 fast charging may cause the battery to heat up rapidly, thereby increasing the possibility of fire.

This is not the first recall for this model. In February of this year, Nissan recalled 57,914 Leaf vehicles from the 2018-2022 model years in the United States, also produced at the Nissan Smyrna plant from September 29, 2017, to April 21, 2022.

Nissan indicated that the rearview camera wiring in these vehicles may be damaged due to movement and vibration, leading to issues such as blurred, distorted, multi-colored images or blank screens in some cases, thereby increasing the risk of collisions. Consequently, these vehicles do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, "Rear Visibility."

It is noteworthy that Nissan's sales in the United States from 2018 to the third quarter of 2024 totaled 76,574 vehicles (14,715, 12,365, 9,564, 14,239, 12,026, 6,083, and 7,582 respectively). This figure is lower than the total number of vehicles recalled in the two recalls this year, meaning some owners have had their vehicles recalled twice within a year.

Frequent recall incidents have led to a decline in consumer trust in Nissan. Exposure of quality issues has raised doubts about the reliability and safety of Nissan vehicles, which may affect consumers' purchasing decisions.

This year, Nissan has also frequently recalled other models in its lineup.

On October 3, Nissan recalled three models - "Serena," "Ariya," and "Note" - totaling 105,010 vehicles due to issues with the control program of electrical devices. These vehicles were manufactured between December 2021 and February 2024. The main problem was that the indicator light for the automatic locking function did not illuminate for the required duration as per safety regulations.

On May 7, Nissan announced a recall of 9,521 vehicles of the 2024 model year Sentra due to the possibility that the front left drive axle may not be fully secured to the CVT assembly, or may have a loose or missing retaining clip. This could lead to transmission fluid leakage, reducing fluid pressure and causing transmission surges, hesitations, and illumination of the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL).

On March 21, Nissan recalled 9,248 vehicles of the 2024 model year Pathfinder due to the possibility that the left front seatbelt pretensioner may be missing a rivet.

Large-scale recalls impose direct financial costs on Nissan. Apart from the costs associated with the recalls themselves, Nissan may also face risks of declining sales and shrinking market share. For example, Dongfeng Nissan, a subsidiary of Nissan, recalled over 1.18 million vehicles last year due to EGR valve issues, with recall costs estimated to be close to RMB 1 billion.

The fading glory of 'Technology Nissan'

Nissan has long been known as 'Technology Nissan,' a title earned through its sustained emphasis and investment in technological innovation.

As a technological leader among Japanese automakers, Nissan is renowned for its high-performance engines, particularly the VQ series, which won the Ward's 10 Best Engines award for 14 consecutive years.

However, amid increasingly fierce competition in the global automotive market and the impact of the explosion of independent brands and the new energy market, Nissan is gradually stepping down from its pedestal.

Take the recalled Nissan Leaf model as an example. As the world's first mass-produced pure electric vehicle, it once led the electric vehicle market but is now gradually revealing its disadvantages.

In terms of range, while the Nissan Leaf had a decent range early on, it pales in comparison to some newer electric vehicles on the market today. For instance, the NIO ES6, equipped with a 150kWh battery pack, can achieve a range of over 900 kilometers. In contrast, the Nissan Leaf, with a maximum battery capacity of 60kWh, still faces pressure to improve its range.

Regarding battery technology, the Nissan Leaf uses a laminated compact lithium-ion battery. While this battery performed well initially, it now faces challenges in terms of energy density and cost-effectiveness against advancing battery technologies, such as Tesla's nickel-cobalt-aluminum batteries and semi-solid-state battery technologies from other manufacturers.

Moreover, rapid charging technology, which is of utmost concern to users, poses a risk of fire with the Leaf's CHAdeMO fast-charging port, necessitating its recall.

In summary, the first-generation Nissan Leaf had a relatively small battery capacity and utilized a more stable manganese-acid lithium battery compared to ternary lithium, resulting in inherently high safety performance. However, as industry technology advances, Nissan faces greater challenges in terms of technology and safety, yet its performance has been unsatisfactory, with frequent issues arising during its electrification transformation.

Repeated issues with quality and recalls, such as EGR valve malfunctions and inverter software problems, have eroded consumer trust in Nissan's technology and brand image.

Concurrently, this decline in technology has led to a drop in sales. In 2023, Nissan's retail sales in China declined by 24% to approximately 794,000 units. As a result, Nissan, which had been a member of the million-club in the Chinese market for nine years, has ultimately exited.

Nissan is, however, striving to reshape its image as a technological innovator. It has unveiled the 'Nissan Ambition 2030' vision, planning to invest JPY 2 trillion over the next five years to accelerate the deployment of electric-drive products and technological innovation. By fiscal year 2030, Nissan aims to introduce 23 electric-drive models, including 15 pure electric vehicles.

Whether these new models can salvage Nissan's declining sales and reputation remains to be seen.