A NEW LEAF
£36 m deal assure s new electric car will be built in Sunderland
Reward for workers as they receive freedom of the city
Nissan will build the new electric Leaf on Wearside with a £36million investment in its Sunderland plant
The car giant unveiled a new model of the all-electric family car, with an increased 400km range, in Japan on Tuesday night.
The firm said the new Leaf would go on sale in Japan next month and was ‘slated for deliveries in January 2018 in the US, Canada and Europe.’
At that time, it did not say whether or not the European deliveries would be produced in Sunderland.
But it has now confirmed that Sunderland will be one of three plants globally to produce the new model, alongside factories in Oppama, Japan, and Smyrna in Tennessee.
A Nissan UK spokesman said: “The announcement represents a £36million investment in our Sunderland plant and first deliveries of the new car will start in major European markets in January 2018.”
Fumiaki Matsumoto, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Co, manufacturing, supply chain management, said: “We’re proud to continue manufacturing the Nissan LEAF at three plants globally.
“The Nissan LEAF is the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility with its many advanced technologies.
“Nissan employees in Oppama, Smyrna and Sunderland are excited to continue producing the most popular electric vehicle in the world.”
Kevin Fitzpatrick, divisional vice-president of Nissan Motor Manufacturing Ltd, added: “The Leaf is really big strategic good news.
We launched electric vehicles in mass-production four years ago.
“This is the second generation to be built in Sunderland.
“Everybody can see on the news every day how important electric cars have become.
“Nissan and Sunderland are at the forefront of that.
“It adds volume to the plant, it continues the growth, and, more importantly it strengthens the product we are making.”
Nissan started building the original Leaf on Wearside in March 2013 and reached the 50,000 milestone in May last year.
Leaf and battery manufacturing supports more than 2,000 jobs at Nissan and in its UK suppliers.
North East England Chamber of Commerce chief executive James Ramsbotham said: “It is fantastic news. We are absolutely delighted.
“This new car’s 200 mile range makes it a much, much more attractive prospect and electric is going to have a much greater prominence as we move away from carbon-fuelled vehicles over the next 20 years.
“This is a fantastic commitment to the UK and a fantastic commitment to Wearside.”
MP Sharon Hodgson, whose Washington and Sunderland West constituency covers the Nissan plant, said: “This is wonderful news and it is all down to the exceptional hard work of the management and employees at Nissan, along with those working in the supply chain too. Their determination has made the Nissan factory here in Sunderland such an incredible success story and the jewel in our region’s manufacturing crown.
“This investment is a reflection of that.”
Sunderland City Council Leader, Coun Paul Watson, said: “This is excellent news for both Sunderland and the wider region.
“It will bring an additional £36m of investment to the plant and is yet another vote
“It adds volume to the plant and continues growth” KEVIN FITZPATRICK
of confidence in the plant, its workforce and the city.
“It’s also especially fitting that the announcement has been made on the day the plant’s entire workforce are being conferred as Honorary Freeman of the City of Sunderland in recognition of the unique contribution they have made to building the city’s global reputation and in maintaining our proud track record of manufacturing and engineering quality products for the rest of the world.”