Nissan has officially unveiled its all-new LEAF electric vehicle, marking a significant milestone in its strategy to reclaim leadership in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. The new LEAF, which will be produced at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the North East of England, stands as the first model launched under the company’s ambitious EV36Zero blueprint. This £1 billion blueprint aims to establish Sunderland as a major EV hub, underscoring Nissan’s commitment to driving carbon neutrality and expanding its electric vehicle portfolio designed specifically for European customers.

The third-generation LEAF has been engineered with advanced technology and aerodynamics, benefiting from the expertise of Nissan's UK research and development centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire. The car will be powered by batteries from AESC, Britain’s newest gigafactory situated adjacent to the Sunderland plant. Demonstrating a substantial leap in performance, the new LEAF will offer a range of up to 375 miles on a single charge, further enhancing its appeal for long-distance travel and everyday use. Production will involve a skilled workforce of 6,000 people, supported by an additional 909 new jobs and over 4,500 roles across the UK supply chain.

This launch is part of a broader electrification push by Nissan, which includes upcoming electric versions of the Qashqai e-POWER and a fully electric Juke, also to be produced at Sunderland. Additionally, a new fully electric Micra, designed in London, is slated for release later this year, along with a smaller city car planned for 2026, ensuring Nissan offers a comprehensive range of EVs to suit diverse customer needs. The company has invested approximately £2 billion to support this transition, including enhancements to R&D facilities, supply chain support, and workforce training, aligning with broader UK government ambitions to boost domestic EV manufacturing.

Despite these advancements, Nissan faces significant challenges. The company recently reported a net loss of $4.5 billion in its last fiscal year and carries $4.1 billion in upcoming debt. CEO Ivan Espinosa is undertaking substantial cost-cutting measures, including plans to close seven plants and reduce the workforce by 11,000. However, Nissan has affirmed that the Sunderland and Tochigi (Japan) plants will remain operational, underscoring their strategic importance in EV production. Espinosa has also signalled openness to using the Sunderland facility for manufacturing vehicles in partnership with Nissan’s Chinese collaborators, highlighting the need to safeguard the plant’s future amid economic uncertainties and rising energy costs.

The new Leaf’s launch carries symbolic weight for Nissan. Since its original debut in 2010, the LEAF has been a pioneering model in the EV market globally, with nearly 700,000 units sold worldwide and over 70,000 in the UK alone. The latest generation, redesigned as a crossover with a battery capacity 25% larger than its predecessor, features a 75 kWh battery pack and an estimated maximum range of 303 miles, tailored to meet evolving consumer expectations. However, its success in certain markets, particularly the U.S., remains uncertain due to tariffs on Japanese-made vehicles and a competitive shift towards hybrids — a segment Nissan currently does not offer in the U.S.

Nissan’s head of manufacturing, Alan Johnson, expressed pride in the company’s ability to mass-produce such an advanced and aerodynamically designed vehicle, while James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, hailed the new LEAF as a pioneering model that has encouraged thousands to transition to electric motoring in the UK. Yet, the broader automotive industry is watching closely to see whether Nissan’s renewed investment and innovative approaches under the EV36Zero plan will restore its competitive edge in an increasingly crowded and evolving EV market.

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Source: Noah Wire Services