Nissan invests in two battery manufactoring plants in the Uk and Portugal

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, today announced together with the governments of the United Kingdom and Portugal their plans to build two plants for the production of its advanced lithium-ion batteries in Europe. In doing so, the Renault-Nissan Alliance marks the first significant step towards producing batteries for its Zero Emission Mobility Program in Europe. The two governments have offered to extend financial assistance and other support to ensure that Nissan locates the proposed plants within their respective countries. This recognizes the significant contribution that the plants are likely to make to the long term health of both the national and regional economies by being central to the growth of the automotive and associated industries, boosting jobs and the skills sector and pioneering the manufacture and sale of zero emission vehicles in Europe. After finalizing details and concluding discussions with Her Majesty’s Government, the UK site will be located in Sunderland where Nissan already has an existing manufacturing facility. The UK site will be the Nissan European Mother Site for Battery production and the centerpiece of the newly established Low Carbon Economic Area in the North East of England.

In Portugal several possible sites for the battery plant have been identified and the final selection will be announced at a later date. Last November, Portugal became the first European country to sign a final agreement with the Alliance for implementing a zero emission mobility program from 2010. Within this plan, the Alliance will supply its EVs from Spring 2011, and the Portuguese Government will leverage an extensive network of 1.300 recharging stations that will be in place across Portugal over the next 2 years.
Last June 29th the Portuguese Government signed an agreement with 25 cities and key motorways and parking players aiming the implementation of a recharging network that will secure a full coverage of the country. Additionally it was presented the prototype of those recharging stations. This advanced station has been developed by a Portuguese consortium in collaboration with Nissan.

26 / 07 / 2009