Godzilla goes green: Nissan unveils mega Hyper Force concept – just don’t call it a GT-R

October 25, 2023October 30, 2023 Andrew Chesterton 2936 Views Nissan GT-R, Nissan Power Force

Nissan has opened a window into its electric performance future, pulling the covers off a 1000kW monster it calls the Hyper Force concept at the Japan Mobility Show.

And for those eagle-eyed among you, it might look a little familiar, especially around the rear lights. But while the brand is willing to drop plenty of hints that this will be an all-electric version of the GT-R – including equipping the model with two drive modes, GT (Grand Touring) and R (Race) – it is unwilling to directly use those three letters itself.

But the four-seat performance EV sounds like it would be a worthy replacement for an ICE Godzilla, with 1000kW of power, a sizeable solid-state battery and Nissan’s e-4ORCE all-wheel-drive system.

Elsewhere, you’ll find a significant focus on downforce and aero, much of which was designed by Nissan’s actual engineers with a view to future production, as well as the liberal use of high-strength carbon to reduce weight and increase stiffness – giving the Hyper Force “enhanced cornering and exceptional handling on circuits and winding roads”

“Marking a paradigm shift in the performance-car genre, the Nissan Hyper Force caters to the ever-evolving preferences of environmentally conscious customers,” says Nissan.

“With its eco-friendliness, electrifying performance, and cutting-edge safety equipment, this concept is Nissan’s vision for a next-generation, all-electric high-performance supercar.”

Things get a little weirder from there, with the Hyper Force employing in-cabin VR so you can “drive in both the real and the virtual world seamlessly.”

Basically, a VR headset lives in the Hyper Force’s cabin, so when you stop you can log-on to your favourite racing game and cut a few laps, before ditching the headset and taking off again in real life.

But perhaps the biggest hint to the Hyper Force being a future GT-R is its race modes, which include GT for Grand Touring, and R for Race.

In GT, the cabin panels actually move, shifting away from then driver to widen the cockpit, while the cabin is illuminated a calming blue. But engage race and the cockpits moveable panels close in around you, while the cabin lights turn red.

Downsides? Well Nissan is now on-record saying its solid state battery technology won’t launch until 2028, meaning a real-life Hyper Force is at least half a decade away.

Andrew Chesterton

Andrew began his career as a journalist at Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, before he was lured into the fast-paced world of supercars at TopGear Australia. He has also held senior roles at The Daily Mail, which involved spending time at HQ in London, and on the other side of the automotive divide with FCA Australia. As one of Australia's best-read freelance writers, Andrew now contributes to Robb Report, Wish in The Australian, Domain in The Australian Financial Review, CarsGuide, Wheels, The West Australian, GQ, Men's Health and more. His love for writing has carried him around the world and back again, writing for clients in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the USA. He secretly enjoys it so much he’d probably do it for free, but he hopes his editors never find out that bit...