Nissan has announced that it is set to make a significant investment in the development of the next generation of electric vehicle (EV) batteries at its manufacturing base in Sunderland.
The company will invest £26.5 million in manufacturing, maintenance and engineering at its UK advanced lithium-ion battery plant, safeguarding 300 jobs in the process.
The announcement signals a renewed commitment by Nissan to the plant, which has been in operation for 30 years, in advance of the launch of a new 155 mile-range Nissan LEAF on sale across Europe this month.
Paul Willcox, chairman of Nissan Europe, said: “With 200,000 customers around the world already, the Nissan LEAF has transformed the performance and perception of EVs and made Nissan the undisputed leader in EV technology.
“Today’s announcement reflects Nissan’s intention to remain EV leaders for many years to come, with our UK operations at the heart of our future innovations.”
The new investment will be led by a £19.4 million project that will see Nissan work alongside academic and technology partners in the UK. This collaboration includes Hyperdrive Innovation, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, Newcastle University and Zero Carbon Futures, who will work together on areas of battery development covering pilot projects, product diversification and process improvement.
The project will also be supported by a £9.7 mrant grant from the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
Nissan’s continued investment in the EV sector is the latest example of a car manufacturer increasing their efforts to develop new low emission vehicles, with Chevrolet and Volkswagen among those unveiling new EV models at CES 2016.
The investment in the company’s UK manufacturing facilities also supports the government’s efforts to boost take-up of EVs, with the Department for Transport announcing late last year that it would be extended its plug-in grant scheme to the end of March 2018. As of March 2016 when new rates are to be introduced, the scheme will offer buyers up to £4,500 off the overall purchase price of new electric (plug-in) cars.
Commenting on Nissan’s announcement, UK business secretary Sajid Javid said: “This investment from Nissan is a further vote of confidence in our thriving automotive sector. The UK is fast becoming a world leader in low carbon automotive technology and the government is backing the industry.
“We committed an extra £225 million funding to the Advanced Propulsion Centre in the Autumn Statement. This Nissan project, which is benefiting from that funding, shows what can be achieved.”
Nissan’s UK battery plant is one of three production sites globally that also provide battery modules for Nissan’s all-electric van, the e-NV200, which is manufactured in the company’s plant in Barcelona, Spain.
