Summary

• The Nissan GT-R R36 is likely to be an electric vehicle with at least 760 horsepower, showcasing Nissan’s capacity to innovate and compete with other performance cars.
• The use of solid-state batteries in the R36 could revolutionize its capabilities, offering faster charging, longer range, and reduced fire risk.
• The R36 could potentially be unveiled in 2027 and will likely be a four-door sports car, appealing to families and offering improved practicality.

The Nissan GT-R R35 dropped jaws when it hit the market in 2007. The Godzilla – a moniker earned by the car’s predecessor R32 when it ruled Japan’s racing circuits in the 1990s– can hit 0 to 60 MPH in under three seconds and faster to lap the legendary Nurburgring racetrack than the best Porsche around. The R35 has undergone several upgrades with its latest guise in the version of the 2024 GT-R.

The newest R35 sports an updated exterior, improved downforce, reduced drag, updated brakes, a front limited-slip differential, and a more refined interior. However, the car still relies on a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine that outputs 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque. The guys at Porsche can confidently smirk because the 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S can easily outclass the Japanese speed monster.

As most car experts would put it, the Nissan GT-R R35 is getting old, and while it’s still impressive in its golden years, the Godzilla deserves a new version. Fifteen years of waiting and counting, there are a lot of GT-R R36 rumors and speculations going around, but here’s the direction the carmaker will likely take in developing the Nissan GT-R R36.

We gathered information from Nissan, Best Cars Web, Electrek, Car & Driver, and other reputable websites to give you a sneak peek of what the Nissan GT-R R36 could be.

RELATED: 10 Things You Need To Know About The 2024 Nissan GT-R

10 Nissan R36 GT-R Would Likely Be Electric, With At Least 760 Horsepower

While purists might frown at the idea, there is a good possibility that the Nissan GT-R R36 would be an electric vehicle. A fully electrified R36 makes sense when you look at it from all directions. Nissan has been championing the shift to electric cars with its Leaf EV. Rolling out an electric GTR-R36 will bring the brand’s capacity to innovate to the forefront and will further seal the iconic GT-R line’s status as a performance vehicle. With electric motors running the wheels, the R-36 will be quicker with access to instant torque and unimaginable speed.

The Japanese carmaker has reportedly been taking steps to electrify its fleet further. The company was rumored to have bought several Porsche Taycan Turbo S units and put them under the microscope to develop vehicles that could rival the German stallion. Nissan has also gained full ownership of the e.dams Formula E race team. With this, the car manufacturer can incorporate what it learns about electric motors and batteries in its racing program into the engineering of the new GT-R.

According to the popular Japanese auto magazine Best Car, the flagship R36 will be fully electric with over 760 horsepower. The 2023 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo produces 750 horses and can go 222 miles on a single charge. When there’s confirmation of the Nissan GT-R R36 EV, it will be nice to see it included as a Gran Turismo DLC car, don’t you think?

9 Godzilla As Symbol Of Nissan’s Electric Vehicle Engineering Prowess

An electric Nissan GT-R R36 will also showcase the excellent engineering capabilities of the brand. While Godzilla has showcased Nissan’s prowess in the last decade and joined the EV contest in 2011 with the LEAF, an electric R36 puts it back in the game with technology companies such as Tesla, the top electric vehicle seller today. This will be consistent with the GT-R legacy since it launched the GT-R lineage in the 1960s in the form of the Skyline and through its evolution and current GT-R R35 form. Speaking of the Skyline, Nissan teased the public with an electric concept based on the Skyline GT-R called the GT-R R32 EV.

An electric flagship vehicle will also help lower the carbon emission of the Nissan fleet in line with the realization of carbon neutrality by 2050. The electric GT-R R36 will also be able to reach markets that the traditional combustion engine-equipped vehicle cannot enter. As mentioned above, an electrified R36 would potentially have impressive performance numbers because of its instant torque and ability to reach higher speeds.

Getting a new Nissan GT-R R36 EV will, of course, have its pros and cons. For some, it will be a definite step forward, and for others, a lost nostalgia.

Pros

1. Environmentally friendly

2. Cheaper fuel and maintenance costs

3. Impressive performance

Cons

1. Higher initial cost

2. Too quiet

3. Totally different car culture

8 The R36 Will Potentially Rely On Solid State Battery

Back in February, Nissan hosted an exhibit at its global headquarters in Tokyo titled Nissan Futures. The display put the spotlight on the concept of sustainable mobility. One of the discussions centered on the next-gen batteries that the car manufacturer plans to use in its vehicles– evolved all-solid-state battery packs. These batteries do not have any liquid electrolytes, which means faster charging, longer vehicle range, and lower fire risk. Nissan will reportedly have an operational pilot factory for these solid-state batteries come 2025 and use them in their vehicles by 2028.

Other brands, such as Toyota, Ford, and BMW, are all exerting efforts and resources to develop a reliable solid-state battery. If Nissan could perfect the technology sooner and scale its production, that would give their performance cars like the R36 the capabilities that could wow even the most loyal fans of internal combustion engines.

RELATED: Here’s Why The 2024 Nissan GT-R Is The Most Nostalgic R35 So Far

7 Nissan GT-R R36 Could Be Unwrapped In 2027

With all the gears moving in the production of Nissan’s solid-state batteries, its CEO Makoto Uchida is confident that the first Nissan electric vehicle with solid-state battery will roll out of their factories by 2028. The carmaker has been experimenting with its EV design and engineering with the hopes of building more affordable green vehicles. According to the Nissan chief, the company will be able to launch 27 models of electrified vehicles, 19 of which will be pure EVs, by 2030.

In line with this, reports coming out of Japan suggest that the new GT-R will be unveiled by 2027 and most likely hit the market by 2028. A GT-R R36 with a solid-state battery will be a game changer, as it could have more horsepower and be quicker and faster while trimming a good amount of poundage.

6 Godzilla Vs. Electric Toyota GR Supra And Other EV Supercars

A tsunami of electric supercars will likely hit the auto world between the mid-2020s and 2030. While Toyota initially lobbied against EVs, it plans to increase its EV production because of their growing demand. The Japanese carmaker confirmed that Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division will produce an EV with a manual transmission. Likewise, Lexus has previewed an electrified supercar that most likely can be likened to the V-10-engined LFA. There have also been reports that Honda will bring the iconic NSX back to life as an electric vehicle.

The list of performance cars from various car manufacturers going electric can go on and on. It’s a new era. When the new Godzilla hits the drag strip for a quarter-mile race in the future, it will be a quieter race– but a lot quicker.

5 The GT-R R36 Could Be A Four-Door, Four-Seater Wonder

Japanese car publication Best Car Web reports that aside from being fully electric, the next GT-R will take the form of a four-door sports car, just like Audi’s e-tron GT and the Porsche Taycan. A four-door Nissan sports car is nothing new. Remember the 1989 Altima? The same is true for the GT-R, with precedence from the likes of Skyline GT-R Autech Version 40th Anniversary that was first seen during the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. With four doors, the R36 could be considered an electric family car.

With four doors, the R36 will be a more practical vehicle for families. Access to the rear seats will be easier. In terms of sticker price, cars with two doors command a higher sticker price because of their sporty appeal. However, a four-door configuration can improve the balance in the appearance of a vehicle.

RELATED: An Nismo-Tuned, Electrified Nissan GT-R Successor Is In The Works

4 Big Possibility: Super EV With ICE Super Car Price Tag

The Nissan GT-R, across generations, is considered by many as a supercar bargain. For example, the 2023 Nissan GT-R entry-level Premium trim has an MSRP of $120,000, while the top-tier NISMO version is offered at $220,990. In comparison, the Porsche 911 Turbo with a few extra horses starts at $185,350.

If Nissan will have a breakthrough in solid-state batteries, they will have a unicorn in their hands. According to the carmaker’s projection, the cost of their solid-state batteries can go to as low as $75 per kWh come the 2028 fiscal year.

It can go further down to $65 per kWh after that. At the moment, the cost is around $127 per kWh. Production of Nissan’s solid-state battery at scale can dramatically lower the price tag of electric cars, perhaps a lot closer to the prices of ICE vehicles today. Toyota, for example, claims that their latest breakthrough can give their EVs a lot more range and around 20 percent reduction in cost.

However, we should take this with a grain of salt. Remember that solid-state batteries require more lithium than existing lithium-ion battery technologies.

3 R36 Interior Will Get A Futuristic Revamp

Nissan tried to give the interior of the 2024 GT-R a dash of luxe. However, it still shows its age. It retains its analog gauges and small infotainment screen, things that somehow show its age. With the GT-R R36, fans are hoping to get a top-tier makeover. It deserves a dose of futuristic elements suited for a flagship that showcases the brand’s technological superiority. Apart from more curves, people hope to see bigger screens, more safety features, and the works. In short, features should be seen in a full-blown R36 EV.

Fifteen years translates to antiquity. Some creative juices should flow to give the R36 a proper design. A fully electric GT-R R36 could be the most powerful, the quickest, or the fastest GT-R ever made, but a bad interior is such a letdown.

2 Possibility Of An SUV Trim For R36

If Nissan takes the path of a more practical R36, a four-door version is not far-fetched. A Sport SUV R36 is also not improbable. With electric motors and solid-state batteries running the show, the future R36 will not compromise its power output or range too much. It will still be a capable vehicle that could perhaps be good for towing some load. It could make people considering the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mach-E, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and other sporty rides a run for their money.

In the SUV form, an R36 will have higher ground clearance, more space for people and luggage. It could be capable enough to hang out with SUVs that are perfect for overlanding or SUVs with the best towing capacities.

RELATED: How the Nissan GT-R Changed the Rules and Saved Nissan

1 Nissan’s Recent Business Moves Are Building Blocks For An Electric R36, Electrified Lineup

The latest EV strategy of Nissan aims for a healthy forecast of EV shares of sale by 2026. They aim to sell more EVs across major markets: Europe (98 percent), Japan (58 percent), and the United States (40 percent). The brand wants to sell a pure electric fleet in the U.S. by the 2030 fiscal year.

Aside from the abovementioned things, Nissan’s recent moves have been consistent with the aim for a more electrified fleet. It recently adopted the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector used by Tesla at its Supercharging network in North America. This makes Nissan the first Japanese carmaker to use NACS, giving Nissan EV owners access to 12,000 charging stations owned by Tesla across the country and in Canada. In Spring 2024, an adapter to use the charging stations will be provided to consumers. And in 2025, Nissan EVs will be equipped with the said connector.

Nissan also renewed relationships with Renault and acquired stakes at Ampere, the latter’s EV division. This move will help Nissan gain more opportunities in Europe and emerging markets.