In a significant announcement on Monday, Nissan Motor Co revealed its strategic pivot towards electric mobility, declaring that all forthcoming models destined for the European market will be exclusively electric. The automaker further outlined its ambitious objective of exclusively offering electric vehicles (EVs) on the continent by the year 2030. This development aligns Nissan with a burgeoning cohort of automotive manufacturers poised to make the leap to electric power by the close of the decade.
Emphasizing the irreversible nature of this transition, Nissan’s CEO, Makoto Uchida, asserted, “There is no turning back now,” in an official statement. The company disclosed that out of the two confirmed EV models slated for release in Europe, one will be assembled at its Sunderland facility located in northeast England. This strategic move is in response to apprehensions within the automotive industry regarding adherence to the rules of origin as stipulated in the post-Brexit agreement between Britain and the European Union. A potential consequence of non-compliance could entail the imposition of a 10% tariff on EVs traded between the UK and the bloc, as early as January.
Addressing this concern, Guillaume Cartier, Nissan’s Chairman for the regions of Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania, assured reporters that vehicles produced at the Sunderland plant meet the requisite criteria. Earlier this year, Nissan took decisive steps to bolster its commitment to the EV sector, striving to close the gap in a market dominated by newer entrants like Tesla. CEO Uchida disclosed plans to introduce a staggering 19 new EV models by the year 2030. However, a specific timeline for the release of these models was not provided during the related press conference held in London.
Previously, Nissan had outlined its target of electrifying 98% of its sales in Europe, encompassing both fully-electric and hybrid vehicles, by the conclusion of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2027. The latter category combines both battery and combustion engine technologies. The renewed ambition to transition entirely to electric propulsion by 2030 aligns Nissan’s trajectory with that of its alliance partner, Renault, which has similarly set its sights on transforming the Renault brand into an all-electric offering by that same milestone. Concurrently, industry stalwarts such as Ford, Stellantis, and Volvo have also committed to achieving full electrification of their respective model ranges by 2030.
CEO Uchida underscored that in the face of escalating competition from lower-cost Chinese automakers, Nissan is intensifying its focus on cost reduction through heightened investments in electrification. “There’s a lot of competition happening…the Chinese (carmakers) are coming massively,” Uchida remarked. “The Chinese have moved much, much faster than we expected.”
Amid this historic paradigm shift towards electric vehicles, Nissan is resolutely positioned to be among the vanguard of manufacturers effecting a complete transition to electric propulsion for its European models. The company’s resolute commitment to advancing EV technology is poised to exert a transformative influence on the future landscape of the automotive industry.
Source: Reuters
