Nissan Readies Next-Gen LEAF Production By March 2025 Amidst Challenges at Sunderland Plant

Nissan is gearing up production of its next-generation LEAF electric vehicle (EV) with plans projecting that production could start as early as March 2025 following the discontinuation of the LEAF model.

Nissan is preparing its Sunderland plant for the production of the new LEAF EV. Despite its global success with over 650,000 units sold, rising competition in the global EV market has ramped up challenges for Nissan, prompting the need for an upgraded production plant.

Moreover, Nissan is facing what has been described as “a real challenge” at its Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom (UK) according to Alan Johnson, vice president of the company’s regional manufacturing, stated to Autocar. Nissan also declared a $2.5 billion investment to modernize its Sunderland plant to stimulate the production of three new EV models, including electric versions of its Qashqai and Juke models in November. 

Furthermore, the upgrades of Nissan’s Sunderland plant, known as EV36Zero, include the construction of additional battery plants to support the production of EVs. Also, Nissan is investing in upskilling its workforce to meet the demands aligned with the EV industry’s manufacturing exemplars in the EV market. 

Johnson also further highlighted leveraging its asset in its Sunderland plant to Autocar stating, “We are here. We’ve got an asset here. That’s not just facilities. That’s also the people. Therefore, it is in our interest to get the best out of the assets that we have.”

With Nissan ushering in next-generation LEAF models, the dedication to the Sunderland plant underlines the company’s to developing its presence in the UK EV market. The next-generation LEAF is anticipated to be the first to undergo production trials, with testing slated to start in August 2024. 

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