Nissan Patents Moving Battery Pack for EV Stability

Nissan has patented a moving battery pack for electric vehicles, designed to shift weight and improve handling, balance, and high-speed stability. Learn more.

Nissan has patented an unusual concept for electric vehicles — a battery pack capable of moving inside the vehicle’s body while driving. Unlike the conventional EV layout, where the battery is rigidly integrated into the floor as part of a so-called skateboard platform, the Japanese automaker proposes turning the heavy energy storage unit into an active element of vehicle dynamics.

According to the patent description, the battery is mounted within a dedicated frame and can shift along both the longitudinal and transverse axes. Electric actuators handle the movement, while a suite of sensors — including accelerometers, gyroscopes, cameras, and mass distribution sensors — monitors the car’s behavior and adjusts the battery’s position in real time.

The logic behind the idea is straightforward yet radical: use the substantial mass of the traction battery as a tool for balance control. In most modern EVs, the battery sits low in the floor, lowering the center of gravity and increasing structural rigidity. This configuration has become standard because it improves stability and handling. In Nissan’s concept, however, the battery is not just a structural component but a movable mass capable of actively changing weight distribution.

The patent suggests that shifting the center of gravity could reduce body roll, improve cornering balance, and enhance stability at high speeds. Different operating modes, including a sport setting, are mentioned, allowing the system to adapt mass distribution to driving conditions. In theory, this could sharpen steering precision and even reduce lap times on a track.

For now, the technology exists only as a patent. No specific figures are provided regarding the range of battery movement, measurable dynamic gains, or a potential production timeline. The materials also do not detail how such a movable high-voltage module would be integrated into the vehicle structure while meeting crash-safety and certification requirements. In today’s EVs, the battery is a key structural element that undergoes extensive impact and deformation testing, making the implementation of a movable system a significant engineering challenge.

Still, the emergence of this patent highlights Nissan’s continued exploration of unconventional approaches to electric vehicle development. Against the backdrop of the company’s work on solid-state batteries and new production technologies, the concept reflects a broader willingness to rethink EV architecture. Should it ever progress beyond the patent stage, it could reshape how the industry views the role of the battery in shaping an electric car’s driving character.