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Sunderland manufacturing powers Nissan’s electric European pulse

Sunderland is continuing to play a leading role in Nissan’s manufacturing milestones as the 50,000th European-built Nissan LEAF has rolled off the production line.

Manufactured in Nissan’s flagship plant in Sunderland, this is the first time a European carmaker has built 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) and the batteries which power them – further confirmation of Nissan’s innovation and leadership in electric vehicle technology.

The silver, Tekna grade Nissan LEAF rolled off the production line last week and is destined for a customer in France. European-built Nissan LEAFs are currently exported to 23 global markets covering Western Europe and other destinations as diverse as Argentina, Iceland, Israel and Taiwan.

Nissan LEAF and battery manufacturing was launched in the UK in 2013 by Prime Minister David Cameron and supports over 2,000 jobs at Nissan and in its UK suppliers.

Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe said: “What Nissan is doing today with electric vehicle technology is more advanced than any other car manufacturer.

“This milestone is another first for Nissan and for our team in Sunderland. No other brand has Nissan’s experience or expertise in both battery and vehicle production, and I’m thrilled that over 50,000 customers in Europe share our vision for a zero-emission future.”

Andrew Jones, UK Transport Minister, added: “This major milestone is great news for Nissan and yet another example of Britain leading the way in developing cleaner vehicle technology, which is good for the environment and supports jobs and growth.

“Our goal is for nearly every car to be zero emission by 2050 and we are investing £600 million in electric vehicles to make this a reality.”

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