Nissan to build new battery Gigafactory and new EV in Sunderland – OFFICIAL

Nissan has confirmed plans to build a new gigafactory in Sunderland to produce batteries for electric cars, and a new EV too.

Last week we reported that Nissan is planning a huge EV battery factory in Sunderland, and now it’s officially confirmed, as is a new electric car to be built in Sunderland too.

Nissan declares its intent with “EV36Zero – a £1bn Electric Vehicle (EV) Hub” which is funded by Nissan, its battery production partner Envision and Sunderland City Council (and undisclosed aid from the government), expected to deliver 6,200 jobs in the supply chain, 900 at Nissan and 750 at Envision.

The Electric Vehicle Hub will start by producing 9GWh a year – almost five times the current capacity – rising to 25GWh by 2030 and, eventually, 35GWh of batteries with new ‘Gen5’ technology which will cut battery costs and increase energy density.

Also in the plan is the installation of a 1MW energy storage facility using second-life EV batteries to allow excess energy from new solar farms to be stored and used when needed, or sent into the grid.

In addition to huge battery production, solar power and energy storage, the EV36Zero plan includes the production of a new EV in Sunderland.

Nissan hasn’t given any details on what the new EV will be (perhaps the image above from Nissan may help you decide), but it seems likely it will be a smaller take on the new Nissan Ariya and replace the LEAF.

It’s all good news in a post-Brexit (and soon – fingers crossed – post-Covid) world, and especially good news for a government desperate for affirmation that the UK is still the best choice for business despite leaving the EU. Boris Johnson said:

Nissan’s announcement to build its new-generation all-electric vehicle in Sunderland, alongside a new gigafactory from Envision-AESC, is a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly-skilled workers in the North East.

Building on over 30 years of history in the area, this is a pivotal moment in our electric vehicle revolution and securing its future for decades to come.