Nissan to build battery plant and three new electric cars at Sunderland factory
Puts Britain at the heart of Nissan's plans for Europe
Nissan has announced a £3 billion investment in its Sunderland factory, where it will build a range of new electric vehicles and a new “gigafactory” for EV battery production.
The Japanese firm has confirmed it will build the new, pure-electric Juke and Qashqai models at the British factory, as well as the next-generation Leaf electric hatchback.
Forming a key part of Nissan’s promise that all new cars sold in Europe will be electric from hereon in, the new Juke and Qashqai models will be important products for the brand’s European operation.
The current Qashqai, offered in petrol and hybrid forms, is among the UK’s most popular new cars, and it makes up one in every five new cars built on these shores. The Juke is also a top 10 best seller in the UK and more than one million units have been produced globally.
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The Leaf, meanwhile, was the world’s first mass-market bespoke electric car, and more than a quarter of a million have been built in Sunderland since it was introduced more than a decade ago.
Concept car looks for new EVs
Now, all three models will be replaced with cars influenced by Nissan’s show concepts, including the recently revealed Hyper Urban concept. That car will inspire the new Qashqai, while the new Juke will be based on the Hyper Punk concept and the Leaf will take inspiration from the Chill-Out concept unveiled in 2021.
To support the production of these vehicles, Nissan has announced a 10-figure investment in its EV36Zero scheme, which aims to transform the Sunderland plant into “a world-first EV (electric vehicle) manufacturing ecosystem.”
Dubbed the EV36Zero Microgrid, the system will incorporate wind and solar farms at Nissan’s Sunderland factory, and will have the ability to deliver completely renewable electricity to Nissan and its neighbouring suppliers. The plant will also require a new gigafactory, which will build batteries for the forthcoming electric models.
Nissan’s £3bn on UK projects
In total, Nissan says it will spend £3bn on the project, with £15 million going to a new collaborative project at the Nissan Technical Centre (NTCE) in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.
With a further £15 million of government funding, the scheme hopes to increase the company’s R&D capabilities, as well as “increasing opportunities for securing additional UK R&D investment in future vehicle models.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Nissan’s investment is a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s automotive industry, which already contributes a massive £71 billion a year to our economy. This venture will no doubt secure Sunderland’s future as the UK’s Silicon Valley for electric vehicle innovation and manufacturing.
“Making the UK the best place to do business is at the heart of our economic plan. We will continue to back businesses like Nissan to expand and grow their roots in the UK every step of the way as we make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
Nissan’s president and CEO, Makoto Uchida, meanwhile, said the investment is part of Nissan’s plans to create “exciting electric vehicles” for Europe.
“The EV36Zero project puts our Sunderland plant, Britain’s biggest ever car factory, at the heart of our future vision. It means our UK team will be designing, engineering and manufacturing the vehicles of the future, driving us towards an all-electric future for Nissan in Europe.”
Sunderland has long been a key plant for Nissan, having built its first car — a Nissan Bluebird — in 1986. At present, Nissan says the site employs 7,000 people directly and supports 30,000 jobs in the UK supply chain, producing the current Qashqai, Juke and Leaf models.
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