Proactive Investors - Nissan said today that its Sunderland plant in the UK will manufacture all-electric cars as it unveiled three new electric vehicle (EV) models.
The listed Japanese car maker’s electric revolution at the Sunderland plant will make it the UK’s largest hub for EVs.
Nissan (TYO:7201) said it will invest up to £3 billion in the project, adding to its existing £1 billion investment, which is expected to create thousands of jobs in the UK automotive industry.
It said it will make fully electrified versions of three of its existing flagship car models, the Qashqai, Juke and Leaf, at the manufacturing hub.
Nissan said it has already sold millions of units of its cross-over hybrid Qashqai and Juke cars in Europe.
The Nissan Leaf is one of the world’s first mass-market electric cars and more than a quarter of a million have been sold to date, it said.
Three gigafactories in Sunderland will manufacture EV batteries for the Nissan cars as well as supplying other car makers and industries.
These plants will use renewable energy from wind and solar farms sourced from a microgrid locally, which includes a 20 MW Nissan solar farm.
Nissan’s chief executive officer Makoto Uchida said the EV36Zero project is part of Nissan’s vision for a zero emissions future and a new era for the company and its customers.
He said the project puts the Sunderland plant, which is Britain’s biggest car factory, at the heart of Nissan’s future plans in Europe.
“Electric vehicles are at the heart of our plans to achieve carbon neutrality,” he said.
“With electric versions of our core European models on the way, we are accelerating towards a new era for Nissan, for industry and for our customers.”
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed Nissan’s investment as a vote of confidence in the UK’s automotive industry.
“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," Sunak said.
“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.”
The design concepts for the electric cars will be inspired by Hyper Urban, Hyper Punk and Chill-Out themes, Nissan said.