Has more than 100 updates, along with Nissan's new UK battery plant http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/business/news/10318089.History_made_as_Nissan_Sunderland_begins_mass_production_of_all_electric_Leaf/ [images] History made as Nissan Sunderland begins mass production of all-electric Leaf By Andy Richardson 28 Mar 2013
[images http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/2387187/ A Nissan Leaf rolls off the production line at Sunderland http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/2387188/ Work at the Sunderland battery plant ] A Nissan Leaf rolls off the production line at Sunderland A Nissan Leaf rolls off the production line at Sunderland A NORTH-EAST factory will today earn a place in motoring history when it starts production of the world's first mass-market electric car. Staff at Nissan in Sunderland have been working around the clock to set up new lines and a high tech battery plant for the all-electric Leaf hatchback. Nissan's decision to choose Sunderland for the landmark project is seen as a major vote of confidence in its North-East workforce. The Japanese company has invested £420m in plant and machinery to make up to 50,000 Leafs a year in the North-East, creating 560 direct jobs and about 2,000 in the supply chain. It has been backed with cash from the Government's regional growth fund. Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Nissan's record breaking year last year is a success story for UK volume car manufacturing and demonstrates how our automotive industry is competing and thriving in the global race. "I warmly welcome the production of the new electric Leaf model and battery plant at Sunderland. "Nissan's announcement shows the confidence the company has in the skills-base and the business environment in the UK and that the UK is open for business." Mr Cameron added that the new jobs would help people in the area "who want to work hard and get on". Sarah Green, the CBI's director for the North-East said today was a landmark day for the UK car industry. Until now, the Leaf has been built solely in Japan, but production of the new model will put the North-East at the forefront of a revolution in motoring. The five-seater hatchback, which goes on sale this summer, can travel about 125 miles on a single charge. It is powered by lithium-ion batteries which are being made at a new purpose-built facility adjacent to the Sunderland plant. Since its launch two years ago, more than 50,000 Leafs have been sold worldwide and it won the 2011 World and European Car of the Year Awards. However, sales have been lower than Nissan hoped and a major marketing campaign is planned. In response to feedback from owners the revamped model being made in Sunderland boasts a host of new features, including more interior space, faster charging time, more gadgets and the capability to travel longer distances between charges. Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice president, said: "Today's announcement progresses Nissan's unwavering commitment to zero emissions motoring. "The Nissan Leaf is our most technically advanced car yet and the launch of this new model, built along with its batteries in Sunderland, is a huge boost not only for the plant but for British manufacturing. "We have been showing that you can operate a world-beating plant in the UK for almost 30 years and the construction of the battery plant is a vote of confidence in the country's ability to support high-technology manufacturing." More than seven million vehicles have been made on the site since its opening in 1986. The plant, which employs 6,100 staff, makes more than one third of the 1.46 million cars manufactured in the UK a year - and is nearly double the number produced by the next largest competitor, Land Rover. The launch of the Leaf follows deals for the Sunderland workforce to make new models including the Nissan Note, the popular Qashqai, and a sports hatchback under Nissan's premium brand, Infiniti. [© 2013 Trinity Mirror Midlands] http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/nissan-leaf-production-begins-in-sunderland/73291 Nissan Leaf production begins in Sunderland Nissan's electric car is just one in a long line of vehicles that have been manufactured at the plant. Since its opening in 1986, Sunderland has made more than ... http://www.solihullnews.net/news/uk-news/2013/03/28/nissan-to-produce-100-electric-car-105074-33075466/ Nissan to produce 100% electric car The car, which has received more than 100 updates, will roll off the line at the company's record-breaking Sunderland plant. Along with Nissan's new UK battery ... http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2013/03/28/nissan-starts-work-on-leaf-electric-car-at-sunderland-plant-61634-33074767/ Nissan starts work on Leaf electric car at Sunderland plant NISSAN starts work on the Leaf electric car today, underpinning thousands of jobs at the Sunderland plant, as well as many more in the supply chain. The Leaf ... http://www.electronicsweekly.com/articles/28/03/2013/55854/nissan-100-electric-car-production-in-uk.htm Nissan 100% electric car production in UK. Richard Wilson. Thursday 28 March 2013 00:47. Nissan's announcement that production of the 100% electric Nissan ... For all EVLN posts use: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=evln&sort=date Here are today's archive-only EV posts: EVLN: Texas Auto Dealers taking Tesla to their legislature tomorrow EVLN: Old electric car batteries get repurposed = new lease of life EVLN: CO Bill removes unreasonable restrictions on charging @home EVLN: £13k Kangoo Van Z.E. with the £8k Plug-In Van grant r:106mi + EVLN: KRW 45M Renault-Samsung will develop an EV {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Nissan-Sunderland-UK-begins-Leaf-EV-mass-production-tp4662248.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
