Nissan is charging ahead with its vision for a zero emissions future, with confirmation that all three models made at its UK plant will go 100% electric.
Today’s announcement means the EV36Zero hub in Sunderland, Nissan’s blueprint for future manufacturing, will consist of three electric vehicles (EVs), three gigafactories and up to £3bn investment – great news for Nissan’s 7,000 UK employees and the 30,000 jobs supported in the UK supply chain.
Not only does the transformational project include future all-electric versions of Nissan’s flagship Qashqai and JUKE crossovers, but Nissan is also confirming today that the third vehicle planned for UK production will be next-generation Nissan LEAF, the car that dared to spark the electrification of the automotive industry.
Both vehicle and battery manufacturing will be powered by the EV36Zero Microgrid, which will incorporate the wind and solar farms at Nissan and will have the capability to deliver 100% renewable electricity to Nissan and its neighbouring suppliers.
Announcing the plans today to colleagues at the Sunderland plant, Nissan President and CEO Makoto Uchida said: “Exciting, electric vehicles are at the heart of our plans to achieve carbon neutrality. 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.
“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.”
Today’s announcement follows Nissan’s confirmation that all its new cars in Europe from now will be fully electric, and that it expects its passenger car line-up in Europe to be 100% electric by 2030. It also builds on Nissan’s Ambition 2030 vision to become a truly sustainable company, driving towards a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive world.
Nissan’s latest investment includes up to £1.12bn into its UK operations and wider supply chain for R&D and manufacturing of the two new models announced today, including facility and manufacturing process improvements, skills training, and tooling for suppliers. This follows the £423m investment announced by Nissan in the first phase of EV36Zero for the first future EV.
Complementing vehicle and battery production is the Sunderland City Council-initiated Microgrid project, which will have the capability to deliver 100% renewable electricity to Nissan and its neighbouring suppliers, incorporating the existing Nissan wind and solar farms, including Nissan’s brand new 20MW solar farm.
The additional two models, alongside an additional gigafactory and further investment for infrastructure projects, will result in an investment of up to £2bn. It means Nissan’s plans for the future electric versions of Qashqai, JUKE, and the replacement for LEAF, will enable up to a £3bn investment in the UK.
Today’s announcement comes as a new Investment Zone (IZ) was confirmed for North East England. The North East Investment Zone will focus on Advanced Manufacturing and Green Industries, building on the Arc of Innovation running from Northumberland down to Sunderland and Durham with opportunities along the Tyne Corridor and benefits felt across the wider region.
Covered By: Mobility India / Nissan
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