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Nissan has announced £1bn worth of investment in a new electric vehicle hub in Sunderland.
It is planning a major expansion of electric vehicle production at its car plant in Sunderland which will create 1,650 new jobs.
Its partner, Envision AESC, will also build a new 9GWh-capacity Gigafactory to manufacture car batteries to power up to 100,000 electric vehicles a year.
Nissan president and CEO Makoto Uchida said: “This project comes as part of Nissan’s pioneering efforts to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire lifecycle of our products. Our comprehensive approach includes not only the development and production of EVs, but also the use of on-board batteries as energy storage and their reuse for secondary purposes.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Nissan’s announcement to build its new-generation all-electric vehicle in Sunderland, alongside a new Gigafactory from Envision-AESC, is a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly-skilled workers in the Northeast.
“Building on over 30 years of history in the area, this is a pivotal moment in our electric vehicle revolution and securing its future for decades to come.”
The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders welcomed the government backing but said more was needed.
“If we are to build one million electric vehicles by 2030, however, we need more such commitments, with at least 60 GWh of Gigafactory capacity in this country by the end of the decade,” said SMMT CEO Mike Hawes