Nissan’s 1st EV for China starts output

NISSAN’S first electric sedan designed for China began production yesterday at the start of a wave of dozens of planned lower-cost electrics being created by global automakers for their biggest market.

Manufacturers including General Motors and Volkswagen are poised this year to launch a flood of electric sedans, minivans and SUVs designed for Chinese tastes and budgets. Nissan, Tesla, GM and others sell imports or electrified versions of models made by Chinese partners, but the market is dominated by lowcost local rivals including BYD Auto.

China’s government sees electric cars as a promising industry and a way to clean up its smog-choked cities. Government subsidies have built China into the biggest market for electrics, and China is setting sales quotas and tougher fuel efficiency standards for automakers.

The Sylphy Zero Emission, based on Nissan’s Leaf, is being produced by Nissan Motor Co and a Chinese partner, Dongfeng Motor group.

The Sylphy costs 166,000 yuan (US$25,850) after government subsidies, or just over half the sticker price of the Chinese version of the Leaf sold by Nissan and Dongfeng’s joint venture Venucia brand. Nissan says the Sylphy can go 338 kilometers on a charge.

“We’re confident that the Sylphy Zero Emission rolling off the production line today will become a main player in the EV market,” said Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa. “We’re going to roll out a range of EVs that will appeal to customers within all market segments.”

Sales quotas that take effect next year require every brand to sell electrics or buy credits from competitors that do. That puts pressure on automakers to create affordable models Chinese consumers want.

China accounted for half of global electric car sales last year, but almost all were Chinese models that start as low as 140,000 yuan. BYD Auto, the biggest global brand by number sold, said its first-half 2018 sales doubled from a year earlier to 71,000.