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Green vehicles to descend on Wearside

Sunderland is readying itself to play host to some of the motoring world’s most influential leaders at an international conference next month.

With news that Nissan’s factory will house Europe’s biggest green car plant in the city, delegates are charging themselves for the big debate on the role of electric vehicles and green technology at a major event staged at the Stadium of Light.

Coun Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, said “The past two years have proved challenging for the automotive industry as it struggled to steer through the recession along with the rest of the world.

“We’re now starting to see some innovative projects from manufacturers as the green revolution brings about a new era of car-making. Greener technologies and materials are being revealed as more sustainable forms of manufacturing.”

This year’s conference is set to provide a platform for industry leaders to discuss the challenges ahead in a region that has been singled out as a low-carbon economic area for ultra low-carbon vehicles.

Nissan will pump more than £420m into a new battery manufacturing facility over the next five years and will produce the world’s first affordable mass produced zero car, The Leaf.

Sunderland will also create a new skills academy for sustainable manufacturing and innovation located alongside the current Nissan factory.

John Barnett, operations manager at Sunderland based Calsonic Kansei, added: “Sunderland is recognised internationally for the strength of its automotive industry and the skills of its workers.

“We are proud of the success of the industry and it’s fantastic we can continue to demonstrate that the city is at the forefront of the sector.”

Keynote speakers at the event next month include Graham Smith, senior vice president for environmental affairs at Toyota Europe, Pierre Loing, vice president of product strategy and planning for Nissan and Gherado Corsini, director of electric vehicle implementation at GM Europe.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .