Interview

Our Jobs and Careers
at the Planning Function

Global EV Program and Energy
Eco-System Business Department

T.S.

Senior Manager

Mid-career recruitment in 2018

My career

I joined a trading company as a new graduate and was involved in battery business, and then switched to a renewable energy business company. Then, I wanted to take on new challenges and broaden my possibilities with my past experience, so I decided further career change. In 2010, Nissan made headlines when it pioneered the industry with the introduction of the LEAF, and since then we have continued to focus on EVs. Since joining Nissan, I have been involved in the actual business and management of EV batteries in Japan by planning global EV battery secondary use and recycling business strategies and managing and supporting the management of 4R Energy Corporation, a Nissan group subsidiary.

I heard that you are always aware of who the business is for?

Because our business is somewhat distant from Nissan's original business of selling cars, we are always aware of who the business is for and formulate strategies with the aim of leading to customer value.
The theme of this business is how to utilize recovered EV batteries. There are two main methods: one is reuse, in which EV battery modules are reassembled to produce recycled batteries to be used again for vehicles. The other is repurposing, in which the EV battery is utilized for other purposes.
Since the introduction of LEAF, Nissan has been a pioneer in increasing the value of EVs themselves. In this business, we seek to increase the added value of the batteries themselves and how to pass that value on to customers who purchase EVs by reusing EV batteries and developing other applications for them as a business.
There is no clear answer in pursuing added value that can only be created by Nissan, but I find it interesting to be able to do work that no one else does.

I heard that you are aiming to build an EV ecosystem.

Nissan, the EV pioneer, is one step ahead in this EV business, but other automotive OEM and companies from other industries are expected to enter the EV market in the future. It will be important to pursue a business that only Nissan can offer.
The performance of EV batteries continues to improve, and it becomes commonplace that batteries can still be utilized even after their life as a car is over. In this context, reuse and repurpose the battery to use up all its value as a battery, and then collect the battery at the end of its life and recycle it to be used as a part of the raw materials to make new batteries. I believe that the EV ecosystem will be complete when it has reached this point.
Demand for batteries is expected to grow significantly in line with the expansion of renewable energy. Therefore, the number of places in the EV ecosystem where batteries can be repurposed will continue to expand. I believe that one of my missions is to utilize my experience in the battery business and the renewable energy field to develop new fields to be incorporated into the ecosystem. I realize the significance of my involvement in the work that Nissan must do, and I am taking on new challenges every day.

VISION

This business is positioned as a part of Nissan's business, but we would like to establish an ecosystem linked to the expansion of EV and further increase our presence. To this end, we will continue to take on challenges with the determination to eventually become one of the pillars of Nissan's business.
I started my career at Nissan with the desire to create added value in the EV field, so as a pioneer in EV battery utilization, I will continue to focus on establishing a business that leads the industry as a whole and increasing the attractiveness of EVs themselves by enhancing the value of batteries as part of the EV ecosystem.