While GM and Hyundai reel from EV recalls, the Japanese automaker is pitching the safety and reliability of its own batteries as it joins the global EV battle with the bZ4X crossover.

Nissan's next-generation models will be featured in the brand's Super Bowl commercial.

Interest in the U.S. rose from 5 percent to 19 percent over the two-year period. And in California, where the market for EVs is well-established, interest jumped from 9 percent to 34 percent.