Car manufacturer Nissan is set to announce thousands of new jobs as it outlines plans for increased battery production around its Sunderland plant.
The automotive giant has scheduled a “major global news announcement” at the factory on Thursday, having been saying as recently as Monday that it had “no further plans to announce at this time”.
Reports have been swirling for weeks that the automotive giant was to ramp up its commitment to electric vehicles, with the 海角视频 leading the way in the switch away from petrol and diesel cars.
Nissan’s battery partner Envision AESC - which was set up as a joint venture involving Nissan before being sold to its current Chinese owners in 2019 - last year received Government funding to draw up plans for a gigaplant at Sunderland.
The need for huge increases in battery production for electric vehicles has come after the 海角视频 Government committed to phasing the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The terms of the post-Brexit trade agreement also added to the impetus for scaling up battery production in the 海角视频.
Reports suggest that Nissan is set to not only announce increased battery production in Sunderland but potentially a new model of electric vehicle as well. It currently produces the Leaf on Wearside, having made around 200,000 since it first went into production in 2013.
The announcement looks likely to signal a positive future for Nissan and the wider North East automotive sector after a turbulent few years.
The 2016 Brexit referendum vote led to a number of warnings from the company about its future in the 海角视频, while the car sector as a whole suffered from a slump in demand in China and the US, plus turmoil around emissions from diesel cars.
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The Covid-19 pandemic also hit demand, and car manufacturers are now struggling with a global shortage of superconductor chips, which has caused Nissan and other companies to have to suspend some production.
But Nissan recently celebrated the start of production of the third generation Qashqai at Sunderland and a number of key executives have spoken of their positivity for the future of the plant.
Separately, plans for another battery gigafactory near Blyth, in Northumberland, are being worked on by new company Britishvolt.
The company is seeking Government funding and also has to raise private investment for the more than £1bn needed to make those plans a reality.