Nissan has pledged that by 2030, all vehicles sold in Europe will be electric, accelerating plans for electrification.
The declaration was made despite the UK delaying until 2035 the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
The head of Nissan said the action was "the proper thing to do."
The SMMT, the trade group for the automotive industry, has expressed worry that if the ban is delayed, consumers will put off switching to electric cars.
By the end of the decade, Nissan will also release new battery technology that it claims will shorten charging times and lower the price of electric vehicles (EVs).
"Nissan will move to all-electric vehicles in Europe by 2030. We think it's the proper thing to do for our company, our clients, and the environment "said Makoto Uchida, the head of Nissan.
According to Mr Uchida, the corporation wants to make electric cars just as expensive for customers as petrol and diesel cars. This was stated in an interview with the BBC.
We are looking at the following few years, but it might take some time, he remarked.
We are considering it from the standpoint of technology, cooperation with suppliers, and, of course, working with the government on how we can bring that sort of cost competitiveness to the consumer, Mr. Uchida continued.
By 2030, will there be price parity? According to Mr. Uchida, "That's what we're going for."
However, Mr. Uchida mentioned that the business was moving quickly to develop an alternative battery technology known as all-solid-state batteries (ASSB), which are smaller, less expensive, and quicker to charge.
"We aim to assure that they can be mass produced by 2028," he said. "We are intending to create a trial factory for ASSB in Japan starting next year.
Although there are many difficulties with this, he continued, "we do have a solution, and we are on schedule [to accomplish that deadline]".
In the UK, Nissan is the only automaker with a dedicated battery production facility.
It made plans to spend £1 billion last year to expand the building next to its Sunderland auto production. The government provided £100m towards the project.
Nissan benefits from this compared to other automakers who import the majority of their batteries from China.
Vehicles built in the UK or EU must get 45% of the value of their components from the UK or EU, according to post-Brexit trading regulations, in order to avoid a 10% tariff when exported in either direction.
Several manufacturers in the UK and the EU have said they won't be able to meet that demand because batteries are the most expensive component of an electric car. They have requested that the requirement be postponed until factories are ready and able to deliver the batteries.
Commerce Secretary Kemi Badenoch recently informed the BBC that the administration was hopeful of obtaining a deferral.
-By Emilia Wood|thetransporteronline24|UK
