Nissan shows Skyline GT-R to be turned into EV

Nissan in March announced plans to convert the R32-generation Skyline GT-R into an electric car under a project known as the R32 EV.

The automaker last week demonstrated a donor car for the project in a video posted to social media. The car appears to be a relatively clean example of the R32 in the car hero color Gunmetal Grey.

Nissan says the project was born from the desire of an engineer who originally joined the automaker out of a yearning for the GT-R, to add electrification technology to the car. Nissan hasn’t said what that electrification will require.

I want to make cars more attractive by adding the latest electrification technology that I follow to my favorite cars,” the engineer said in a statement.

【R32EV】vol.3
We will provide the current condition of the R32 Skyline GT-R converted to an EV.#GTR #R32EV pic.twitter.com/Myj5mfLnEe

— Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (@NissanJP) April 6, 2023

The R32, built between 1989 and 1994, was the first GT-R to feature the legendary 2.6-liter turbo-6 known as the RB26DETT. Thanks to twin turbochargers and a sturdy iron block, the engine can be tuned to produce much more reliable power than its 276-hp rating. Even that official rating is widely accepted as an understatement, with Nissan only citing it because of an agreement between Japanese automakers at the time to limit power to the 276-hp mark.

Nissan is known to be planning a successor to the current R35-generation GT-R, though it’s unclear whether the R32 EV project is related to that car. The R35 was recently updated for 2024 so its successor, the R36, is likely still a few years away.

It’s possible Nissan may eventually offer an EV conversion for the R32 GT-R and its successors. Nissan’s Nismo division has in recent years offered replacement parts for the classic GT-R to help keep the car on the road. The company even offers a full restoration service which involves stripping the car down to its bare shell. EV conversion kits could be something else Nismo has to offer in the future. Other automakers have explored this path, including Ford, Mini and Volkswagen.