All new European Nissan models will be electric by 2030, the Japanese carmaker announced on Monday, 25 September.
No turning back
In a statement, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said, “There is no turning back now.” This doubles down on a previous commitment by Nissan. The firm had previously said that 98% of its sales in Europe would be electrified by the end of fiscal year 2027, including either fully-electric or hybrid vehicles.
Now it “plans to sell only electric vehicles (EVs) on the continent by 2030”, reports Reuters. “We believe it is the right thing to do for our business, our customers and for the planet,” Uchida added, noting that the automotive industry was “evolving and challenging everywhere in the world.”
Boom in EVs
Uchida’s choice of words and timing may be seen as pointed, coming just as the UK’s Prime Minister has appeared to U-turn on some of the UK’s climate commitments. A ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel car sales due to be implemented in 2030 has been pushed back to 2035.
Ironically the UK’s seeming cold feet coincide with a boom in the EV car market, particularly in Europe. Nissan has said one-third of the over 1 million EVs sold worldwide have been within the block. The firm has 27 electric and hybrid vehicles set for launch by 2030, including 19 all-electric.
Ford, Renault, Stellantis and Volvo have all also committed to all-electric fleets by then.
Nissan’s EVs on the rise again?
Nissan’s EV game appears to be on the rise, having seen early market success but then fallen off against Tesla and China’s BYD. The Japanese manufacturer set itself tough targets earlier this year and its bottom line will be boosted by cobalt-free battery tech innovations set to shave 65% off the cost of batteries by 2028 and improve charging times by two thirds.
The UK is set to benefit from that growth. At least two new EV models have been confirmed to be in the pipeline for manufacture at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland, in the north east of the UK.
“Sunderland is one of our major plants where we have history, cost competitiveness … and we would like to further show our electrification strategy here in this country,” Uchida told CNBC at the Nissan Design Europe studio in London.
While some manufacturers have complained about the impact of Brexit “rules of origin” on prices, with 10% tariffs on EVs looming, Nissan says Sunderland-made cars will be within the regulations.
