Teesside gearing up for Nissan Leaf spin-offs

Mar 18 2010 by Jez Davison, Evening Gazette

TEESSIDE’S manufacturing supply chain received a boost today with news that car giant Nissan is to make its new electric car in the North-east.

Production of the Nissan Leaf will begin in 2013 in Sunderland and forms part of a £420m investment in electric cars by the Japanese firm.

The decision follows a huge push to place the North-east at the centre of low-carbon technology and comes just days after it emerged a Norwegian electric car maker is poised to launch a new production operation in the region.

It also follows an announcement that up to 300 charging points for electric vehicles will be installed at key locations around Teesside over the next two years.

The North-east has been named as one of the Government’s Plugged-in Places - test-bed areas to trial low-carbon vehicles - alongside London and Milton Keynes.

The Nissan investment will be supported by a £20.7m Government grant and a proposed finance package from the European Investment Bank of up to 220m euros (£197.3m).

The Government said the Nissan announcement would safeguard or create 550 engineering jobs at Sunderland.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “Nissan’s commitment to Sunderland is a massive vote of confidence in the workforce and to manufacturing in the United Kingdom.

“Nissan’s initiatives, and support from the Government, show that by working together we can achieve our aim of making the UK a world-leader in ultra-low carbon vehicle production.”

Regional minister for the North-east, Nick Brown, said he was confident today’s announcement would safeguard a generation of jobs.

He added: “I am confident that we can build on this success with a whole new product and industry.”

The Japanese manufacturer paved the way for today’s announcement back in July when plans to build a £200m electric battery plant were unveiled.

As a result of the 350-job investment, the Government declared the North-east its first-low carbon economic area.

And development agency One North East has helped secure more than £20m for electric charging points cross the region.

The Leaf car, a five-seater hatchback, will have a top speed of more than 90mph, a 100-mile range and a dedicated dashboard navigation system showing its range on remaining battery levels. Prices have not yet been announced.