Sunderland battery factory to provide significant portion of UK's capacity

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【Summary】Nissan's battery factory in Sunderland will eventually produce over a third of the UK's required battery capacity by 2030. The factory, set to open in 2026, will initially have a capacity of 9GWh and can expand up to 35GWh if needed. Nissan plans to launch 27 electrified models globally, including 19 pure EVs, by 2030.

FutureCar Staff Oct 04, 2023 4:22 PM PT

Sunderland battery factory to provide significant portion of UK's capacity

Nissan is making significant progress with its EV360 battery factory near Sunderland, which is set to produce low-cobalt lithium ion batteries starting in the middle of the decade. According to insiders, this factory has the potential to produce more than a third of the 100GWh battery capacity that the entire UK will require by 2030.

The new factory is expected to open by 2026 and will initially have a battery capacity of 9GWh. This will be enough to meet the demand for a new post-Ariya EV that Nissan plans to manufacture in Sunderland in the coming years. The factory will occupy a vast space, equivalent to 23 football pitches, and will be taller than the Angel of the North.

Nissan has plans for further expansion of the EV360 facility to meet growing demand. If necessary, the factory could eventually produce up to 35GWh of batteries.

In addition to its focus on battery production, Nissan has recently announced that all future European Nissan vehicles will be 100% electric. The company also has global plans to launch 27 electrified models, including 19 pure EVs, by 2030.

Furthermore, Nissan is working on its own solid state battery design, known as ASSB. These new batteries are expected to have double the energy density of existing designs and will be able to accept charge at three times the present rate. This technological advancement will allow designers to use smaller and lighter batteries, potentially changing the proportions of cars.

Nissan aims to have a solid state battery pilot plant operational next year and plans to perfect the full-scale manufacturing process by 2026. The company has promised to launch at least one production model that utilizes ASSB batteries somewhere in the world by 2028.