Next Generation Juke and Qashqai Production Planned at Nissan Sunderland

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【Summary】Nissan Sunderland confirms production of electric Juke and Qashqai, securing thousands of jobs. The Sunderland plant's future was uncertain, but plans for a gigafactory in Northumberland falling through increased focus on Nissan's electrification plans. The EV36Zero hub, with a capacity of 9GWh (expandable to 35GWh), will aid in the production of EVs. The announcement follows the UK government's £2 billion support for zero-emissions in the automotive industry.

FutureCar Staff Nov 23, 2023 3:17 PM PT

Next Generation Juke and Qashqai Production Planned at Nissan Sunderland

Nissan has confirmed that it will produce the upcoming electric Nissan Juke and the Nissan Qashqai at its Sunderland plant, securing thousands of jobs, according to a report from Sky News.

The announcement is expected to be made at an event held at the Sunderland factory today. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt were reportedly involved in the discussions with Nissan and are likely to play a role in the announcement.

The future of the Sunderland factory was uncertain as recently as 2021, but it benefited from a trade deal between the UK and EU. The collapse of Britishvolt's gigafactory plans in nearby Northumberland further emphasized the importance of the Nissan plant and its electrification.

Nissan Sunderland has already built the first and second-generation Leaf, and in 2021, the company announced that it would also manufacture the Leaf's successor in Sunderland.

The £1 billion "EV36Zero hub" will support these plans and has already created 900 jobs at Nissan. The production of the next-generation Juke and Qashqai is expected to create more jobs and secure the existing workforce of over 6,000 people. The EV36Zero hub has the potential to reach a capacity of 9GWh and could expand to 35GWh, allowing for the production of 100,000 EVs per year at the Sunderland plant.

Sky's report coincided with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's announcement of the government's Autumn Statement, which included £2 billion of support for zero-emissions in the automotive industry. However, there were no incentives or reduced VAT costs for electric vehicle customers, despite calls for such measures.

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