Japanese automakers are increasing R&D spending, even as profits slow

Nissan Motor Co., now the third largest Japanese player after Honda, allocates a record $ 4.51 billion in R&D as he hurries to upgrade and electrify his warehouse. The cost is about $ 1,123 per car.

Of course, this year’s research and development costs are related to vehicles that will arrive in a few years, and not to those that will arrive at dealerships in 2022. But the list of future high-tech sweets is long.

Toyota, Honda and Nissan are evolving solid state battery technology. Soon Subaru will start creating its own electric cars. Mazda is reviving its own brand rotary engine.

Include work on hydrogen fuel systems, automated control and connectivity – as well as ambitious targets for electrifying model lines by 2030 – and Japan is looking forward to an expensive decade.

“We continue to increase research and development year after year because we know that research and development is the foundation of growth,” said Nissan CEO Ashwani Gupta. “We haven’t stopped investing in the future.”

Naota Akamura contributed to this report.