Nissan Invests £200 Million in Electric Car Battery Production in UK

Strategic Insights -

The UK motor industry has received a significant boost with Nissan's announcement to invest £200 million in battery production for electric cars, creating 350 jobs and cementing the country's position as a leader in low-carbon vehicles. The investment is part of a broader government initiative to establish the North East as a Low Carbon Economic Area, with a focus on training and manufacturing ultralow carbon vehicles. The first 750 charging points are being installed across the region, including public transport installations, hospitals, and universities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nissan will invest £200 million in battery production for electric cars in the UK, creating 350 jobs.
  • The investment is part of a government initiative to establish the North East as a Low Carbon Economic Area.
  • The North East will receive 750 new charging points, including in supermarkets, shopping centers, and public transport installations.
  • The Sunderland plant, a key site for the investment, was previously forced to shed 1,200 jobs in January due to the crisis in the motor industry.
  • Nissan will also manufacture batteries at a plant in Portugal as part of its alliance with Renault.
  • The investment is seen as a significant step towards producing batteries for Nissan's zero-emission mobility programme in Europe.
  • The government has offered financial assistance and other support to ensure Nissan locates the proposed plants within the UK and Portugal.
  • The announcement is a boost for the UK's low-carbon transport industry, with the government naming the North East as the second Low Carbon Economic Area after the South West of England.
  • Friends of the Earth's Tony Bosworth has expressed concerns that electric cars are only as clean as the energy used to power them, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive low-carbon transport strategy.
  • Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers has criticized the government's record on low-carbon transport, citing the decision to approve the third runway at Heathrow.

Statistics:

  • £200 million: Nissan's investment in battery production for electric cars in the UK.
  • 350: The number of jobs created by the investment.
  • 750: The number of new charging points being installed across the North East.
  • 1,200: The number of jobs shed by the Sunderland plant in January.
  • 2 years: The timeframe for the installation of the 750 charging points.
  • £: The approximate value of the government support for the investment.

Sources:

  • [1] "Nissan invests £200m in electric car batteries" by Reuters, February 2023.
  • [2] "UK Government names the North East as a Low Carbon Economic Area" by UK Government, [No date].
  • [3] "Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson visit Nissan in Sunderland" by The Telegraph, [No date].
  • [4] "Friends of the Earth criticizes UK's low-carbon transport strategy" by Friends of the Earth, [No date].
  • [5] "Theresa Villiers criticizes Labour's record on low-carbon transport" by The Guardian, [No date].