Car news, 6 Sept ’24: MG to launch solid state batteries before Nissan and Toyota, updated Nissan X-Trail pricing lobs for Australia, and more

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Thanks for joining us this Friday 6 September 2024. Notably in car news today: MG will launch solid state batteries in its vehicles as soon as next year, and Nissan announces 2025 pricing and specifications for its X-Trail midsize SUV.

Browse this issue:

• MG to launch solid state batteries before rivals 
• 2025 Nissan X-Trail price and specs 
• Genesis Electrified G80 to launch in Australia early 2025 
• Nissan working to make Silvia revival a reality
• Honda begins EV strategy as many manufacturers put on the brakes

MG to launch solid state batteries as early as next year

• MG Motors has announced it will bring the first solid state batteries to market as early as next year. 

• According to a report by Autocar, MG will beat rivals like Nissan and Toyota to be the first to bring this sort of battery chemistry to market. 

• It’s unclear which MG vehicle will debut with these new batteries, with some speculation leaning towards a luxury LM Motors product. 

• Nissan has been vocal in its development of solid state hardware, but has previously said it is still years away from launching such a product into the mainstream market. Nissan does not expect to launch solid state until 2028 at the earliest.

• Toyota, meanwhile, won’t launch their solid state batteries until at least 2027, giving Chinese automaker MG a very good head start. 

2025 Nissan X-Trail priced and specified for Australia 

• Nissan Australia has announced pricing and specifications for its X-Trail midsize SUV, with price of entry now starting at $37,750 before on-road costs, but will top out at $58,190 before on-road costs for a flagship Ti-L E-Power.

• New features for 2025 include approach/walk away lock function across all grades, plus wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch infotainment and satellite navigation for the ST-L grade. 

• Ti and Ti-L grades now gain wireless Android Auto, while the N-Trek gains a new wireless phone charger. 

• The X-Trail continues to be offered with two powertrains: a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, or a 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid-petrol E-Power engine. 

• The 2025 Nissan X-Trail range is now on sale in Australia. 

Updated Genesis electrified G80 gains 27-inch screen, larger battery pack  

• Luxury automaker Genesis has launched the updated electrified G80 saloon in South Korea with a new design and new technologies. It’ll be in Australia soon. 

•  The G80 is more opulent than ever and will include features such as a large 27-inch OLED display for the instrument cluster and touchscreen, a sizable 17 speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and an updated 94.5kWh battery pack. 

• Also set to feature is fingerprint recognition, tri-zone climate control and digital key access. 

• Powering the electrified G80 is likely to retain the same dual motor setup as before, pushing out 272kW and 700Nm. 

• The Genesis electrified G80 will launch in Australia early in 2025. 

Nissan is trying to make Silvia project happen

• Nissan’s global product strategy vice president Ivan Espinosa has told Australian media in Abu Dhabi that the Japanese brand is trying to get another sports car over the line, which could possibly be the next Silvia.

• “It’s not easy because the sports car market is shrinking… this requires a serious level of investment”, he said.

• “In my brain, there are three sports cars in the lineup: GT-R, Z and something else… and this something else, in my brain, is called the Silvia”.  

• Espinosa also said that the Silvia could be electrified to some degree, but wouldn’t go into any specifics. 

• The Nissan Silvia is renowned across the globe as a sports car and drift car and was produced up until 2002 in S15 guise. 

Honda begins EV strategy as many automakers fall back

• Japanese automaker Honda is readying to launch electric vehicles as early as 2026, before going all-electric by 2040.

• First it was the electric Prologue SUV, a model which will soon be joined by an electric multi-purpose vehicle, an electric three-row SUV, a compact electric crossover and then, later, the 0 Series electric sedan.

• The Odyssey people mover could be replaced by the Space Hub concept vehicle (or something similar), but not until around 2028.

• Honda’s bets on electric vehicles seem to be paying off as many rival automakers step back on their aggressive expansion on the technology as demand weakens for pure electrification around the world. 

The next issue of Car News Today will be published on Monday 9 September at 4.30pm Sydney time.