All three models that Nissan is making at its U.K. plant will go 100% electric, said a release from the company.
This means the EV36Zero hub in Sunderland, Nissan’s blueprint for future manufacturing, will consist of three electric vehicles (EVs), three Giga factories and up to £3 billion investment.
Nissan has a headcount of around 7,000 in the U.K. And, its U.K. supply chain supports 30,000 jobs.
Not only does the transformational project include future all-electric versions of Nissan’s flagship Qashqai and JUKE crossovers, but Nissan has also confirmed that the third vehicle planned for U.K. 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 U.K. team will be designing, engineering and manufacturing the vehicles of the future, driving us towards an all-electric future for Nissan in Europe.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Nissan’s investment is a massive vote of confidence in the U.K.’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 U.K.’s Silicon Valley for electric vehicle innovation and manufacturing. Making the U.K. 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 U.K. every step of the way as we make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”
Nissan’s latest investment includes up to £1.12 billion into its U.K. 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 £423 million investment announced by Nissan in the first phase of EV36Zero for the first future EV.
These three new electric vehicles represent the future for all three models currently manufactured in Nissan Sunderland Plant:
· Nissan Qashqai – the original cross-over, the U.K.’s best-selling car of 2022 and represents one in five of all cars built in the U.K.
· Nissan JUKE – the rule-breaking compact crossover which has sold more than one million units.
· Nissan LEAF - the world’s first mass market EV, of which more than a quarter of a million have been built in Sunderland.
The three future models will be inspired by three exciting all-electric concept models, two of which were recently unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show.
· The Nissan Hyper Urban Concept, a cross-over EV characterised by a sleek and modern aesthetic.
· The Nissan Hyper Punk Concept, an all-electric compact crossover with an exterior aesthetic defined by multi-faceted and polygonal surfaces.
· The Nissan Chill-Out Concept, unveiled in 2021 and previously confirmed as the inspiration for a future EV to be built in Sunderland.
Made Nissan and partners, it may be recalled, have initial £1billion investment to create EV36Zero, transforming its Sunderland manufacturing facility and creating a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem.
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.
The additional two models, alongside an additional Giga factory and further investment for infrastructure projects, will result in an investment of up to £2 billion.
In addition, the U.K. Government has awarded £15 million of funding for a £30 million collaborative project led by Nissan.
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