Nissan confirms electric Qashqai, Juke and LEAF
Nissan invests
Nissan is investing heavily in electric models and particularly in its Sunderland plant. The so-called EV36Zero hub in Sunderland includes a total of three electric models, three gigafactories and a £3 billion investment. This is good news for Nissan’s 7,000 British employees and the 30,000 jobs that make up its supply chain. The transformation project includes not only future all-electric versions of the Juke and Nissan’s flagship, the Qashqai. Nissan also confirmed that the third model scheduled for production in the UK will be the latest generation LEAF.
A new era for Nissan
Makoto Uchida, President and CEO of Nissan, said, “Exciting, electric cars are at the heart of our plans to achieve carbon neutrality. With electric versions of our key European models arriving, we are moving ever faster into a new era for Nissan, for the auto industry and for our customers. The EV36Zero project places our Sunderland facility, Britain’s largest ever car plant, at the heart of our vision for the future. It means that our British team will design, develop and manufacture the cars of the future, setting a course toward an all-electric future for Nissan in Europe.”
Three new electric models
The latest investment amounts to £1.12 billion, to include the expansion of the R&D supply chain and production of the two new models announced today, as well as facility and manufacturing process improvements, skills training and supplier equipment. Earlier, Nissan announced an investment of £423 million for the first phase EV36Zero that centers on the production of a new electric model.
These three new electric models represent the future for the models currently produced at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, the Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke and Nissan LEAF. The three future models are inspired by three all-electric concept models, two of which were recently unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show. They are the Nissan Hyper Urban Concept (all-electric crossover), the Nissan Hyper Punk Concept (an all-electric compact crossover) and the 2021 Nissan Chill-Out Concept. More information about the three models, including model names, specifications and launch dates, will be announced by Nissan at a later date.
Transformation of manufacturing facility in Sunderland
Nissan is also investing £1 billion to create EV36Zero, transform its Sunderland manufacturing facility and implement the world’s first EV manufacturing ecosystem. In addition, Sunderland City Council is pushing for the development of a “Microgrid” to provide 100% renewable electricity to Nissan and its suppliers. This will integrate existing wind and solar farms, including Nissan’s brand new 20 MW solar farm.
The two additional models, the construction of a gigafactory and further investment for projects in need of infrastructure, require an investment of up to £2 billion. This means that Nissan’s plans for future electric versions of the Qashqai, Juke and the LEAF replacement result in a £3 billion investment in Britain.
In addition, the British government has awarded £15 million in funding for a £30 million collaborative project led by Nissan. This will further strengthen the technical expertise and R&D capabilities for zero-emission vehicles at the Nissan Technical Centre (NTCE) in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, increasing the potential for securing additional UK R&D investment in future models.
Growth across Britain
According to British International Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch, Nissan’s investment in Sunderland once again shows the value of the government’s plans for the automotive sector. “The upcoming production plans build on this deal and other recent major investments in the British auto industry. This will support thousands of jobs and provide growth across Britain.”
Sunderland City Council Councillor Graeme Miller said, “Today’s announcement is fantastic news for Sunderland and the UK . It allows us to continue to build on our automotive strengths, create jobs and increase our low carbon economy. It is a huge vote of confidence in the city and region – and our people – that Nissan has once again chosen to invest here.”
EV36Zero is an important part of Nissan Ambition 2030, the brand’s long-term strategy to become a 100% sustainable business, on its way to a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world. With this vision, Nissan aims to enable reliable, exciting and integrated mobility and contribute to a smart ecosystem with integrated mobility through collaborations. The vision highlights Nissan’s goal of being carbon neutral across the entire life cycle of its products by fiscal year 2050.
Power generation for the production of both the cars and batteries comes from the EV36Zero Microgrid, which includes wind and solar farms and supplies 100% renewable electricity to Nissan and its suppliers.