Nissan will use the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon next month to present an electric conversion of its R32-generation Skyline GT-R sports car.
The project has been in the works since early 2023, led by a team of volunteer engineers at Nissan. The idea was born out of the desire of an engineer keen to add electrification to the R32 GT-R in an effort to recreate the car’s appeal for a new generation by integrating EV technology.
Nissan hasn’t revealed details about the EV technology used for the conversion, but we can imagine an all-wheel-drive system would have been retained.
It’s possible Nissan could eventually offer an EV conversion for the R32 GT-R and its successors. Nissan’s Nismo division has, in recent years, been offering replacement parts for classic GT-Rs to help keep the cars on the road.
Nissan has also hinted that the next generation of the GT-R, the R36, might go down the electric route. The automaker is still deciding on the final configuration for the car but has stated that engineers will leverage some of Nissan’s developments in Formula E racing. The automaker also presented the Hyper Force EV concept at the 2023 Tokyo auto show. While the concept wasn’t referred to as a GT-R, its design showed a clear evolution of the styling on the current R35 GT-R, complete with quad stovetop taillights and a pixelated badge resembling a blurred version of the iconic GT-R badge.
While the wait for the R36 GT-R might last several years longer, the R35 bows out after the 2024 model year. Nissan is offering some special editions to mark the end of the car’s 16-year run.
The Tokyo Auto Salon, a tuner fest on the scale of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas, will run from Jan. 10-12 at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe convention center.