With Brexit posing a serious challenge to domestic automakers, Nissan’s commitment was hailed by the government as a sign that the UK’s industry can thrive even outside the EU.
The project has been launched with an initial £1bn investment by Nissan and its partners Envision AESC, a global player in battery technology, and Sunderland City Council. Comprising three interconnected initiatives, Nissan EV36Zero brings together electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production to create what the company describes as "a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem".
The initiative, which will be based around Nissan's Sunderland plant alongside battery firm Envision AESC, is expected to create more than 1,600 direct jobs with an extra 4,500 in supply companies. While Nissan said it would build an all-electric vehicle in the UK using £423m of the £1bn committed, it declined to give details about when production might start.
Business Secretary...