[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] Japanese automaker Nissan is building an electric vehicle battery gigafactory in the United Kingdom and launching production of next-generation pure electric vehicles.
According to major foreign media including Bloomberg and AFP, on the 1st (local time), Nissan announced a plan to invest ?1 billion (approximately 1.6 trillion KRW) together with Chinese battery manufacturer Envision and the Sunderland local government to establish an electric vehicle battery gigafactory and produce next-generation electric vehicles. This is expected to create 6,200 jobs.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Nissan's announcement to build a new battery factory and next-generation electric vehicles in Sunderland shows great confidence in the skilled workers of the UK and our Northeast region."
Accordingly, Envision, Nissan's Chinese partner, will expand its electric vehicle battery factory to a scale of 9 GWh (gigawatt-hours). The operation is expected to start in 2024 with an annual capacity of up to 100,000 units. Currently, Envision produces lithium-ion batteries for Nissan's Leaf model at its 1.7 GWh factory in Sunderland.
In addition, Nissan will invest ?423 million to produce a next-generation pure electric crossover. This vehicle will be manufactured at Sunderland's electric vehicle production plants, including the Leaf factory.
By producing electric vehicle batteries in the UK, Nissan aims to reduce transportation costs and avoid tariffs when entering the European market.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
