Currently, my position is Expert Leader in Powertrain Systems. My primary role is to oversee and coordinate powertrain technologies. Within this domain, my expertise lies specifically in drivetrains—essentially, how to transfer the engine's output to the tires—a field I have been involved with since I joined the company. Recently, I’ve been responsible for the development of systems like e-4ORCE, the advanced four-wheel drive system featured in ARIYA.

The R32GT-R holds a special place in my heart. It debuted around the time I joined Nissan and reflected the dream and hope for the automotive. Among them, the R32GT-R is the greatest of all time.
I think the GT-R has two key elements. The first is its unparalleled speed, which has allowed it to dominate in so many races - a defining characteristic. Second, and equally important, is its "driving pleasure". For me, this is a critical point. It’s relatively simple to create a fast car with electric components. However, ensuring its driving pleasure is a far more challenging task. Preserving the driving pleasure is something we must continue to prioritize.

My team develops electric four-wheel drive systems, such as the e-4ORCE for the X-TRAIL. After finalizing its development and mass production, we tested it on Nissan’s Tochigi testing ground. We were proud of our achievement, delivered a high-performance EV. However, parked nearby was the over 30-year-old Skyline, and driving it brought an entirely different kind of excitement. It made us wonder if this perception was tied to our knowledge of older cars.
Several younger members drove the Skyline, and their response was unanimous: “This was more fun!” That feedback sparked the question: how can we preserve that sense of excitement in the age of electrification? This led to the R32 EV project’s inception.
Owners who can enjoy the R32GT-R nowadays are very lucky. Recently to preserve the R32GT-R is not easy in its good condition. We realized the way to prevent this extinction would be to convert its features using electric parts and digital technologies that would be more common in the future. The essence of the R32GT-R could be kept alive for future generations.
By remastering the analog (gasoline-powered) model into a digital (EV) form, the R32GT-R’s sprit will continue even 30 years from now.
In my mind, the most dream car to drive was the R32GT-R, which I had always longed to drive. That was the beginning of this voluntary project.

The challenge lies in deciding what to recreate and how. Aligning specs like power-to-weight or torque-to-weight ratios is relatively straightforward with electric motors. However, a car built purely to match the numerical specs often lacks driving pleasure—it simply moves like any other EV. We had to dig deeper into what makes driving a manual transmission car so enjoyable.
One critical aspect is the interaction to the driver. For example, when the driver’s actions are purposeful and the car responds in harmony, it creates a truly engaging experience. Synchronizing the information exchanged between driver inputs and the car’s feedback is central to the driving pleasure. We challenged ourselves to replicate this experience with the electric motors.

The engine sound, for instance. While it’s well-known that engine sounds evoke emotion, merely playing recorded engine sounds falls flat because there’s no synchronization. The sound must correlate precisely with throttle input, steering, and speed to evoke emotion effectively. This required us to deeply analyze and recreate authentic engine sounds, building in detailed feedback mechanisms to achieve emotional resonance. One of our team members, an audio enthusiast, meticulously refined the sound to ensure it felt genuine and emotionally engaging to drivers.

While much of our earlier discussion focused on control systems, the hardware challenges of the R32 EV were far greater than anticipated. It’s smaller size and older construction methods made integrating modern electric components difficult. Installing the motor was one hurdle, but the biggest challenge was the battery. Unlike modern cars with flat floors designed for battery placement, the R32 has no such space. We had to remove the rear seats and fit the battery there. Even then, physically getting the battery into the car required creative problem-solving, like removing doors and maneuvering it at angles.

This project offered significant insights into the elements of the driving pleasure and how they can be deconstructed and recreated as an EV. Achieving this level of detail would have been difficult in a conventional development project due to the abstract nature of creating “driving feel.” Yet, throughout the many trials during this project, we demonstrated that, to an extent, it is possible to channel the driving experience from such an iconic over 30-year-old car into a modern EV.
The R32 is an icon that carries a unique value. While remastering the essence of a more standard car might be easier, it wouldn’t hold the same emotional impact. The R32 is special because of its complexity and exceptional driving pleasure, which is why recreating it was so challenging.
Automotive technology will continue to evolve, and as it does, some aspects of driving may inevitably be lost, while others deserve to endure. I firmly believe that the driving pleasure of iconic cars like the R32GT-R is a legacy worth safeguarding for future generations. Moving forward, I hope to explore how we can retain them in the face of advances technology.