Nissan plans to build electric versions for two of its best-selling crossovers in the UK. According to a new report, Nissan will build an electric Juke and Qashqai at its Sunderland factory.
The report from Sky News Wednesday claims Nissan will announce the new electric crossovers on Friday.
Citing industry sources, the report says Nissan plans to commit “hundreds of millions of pounds” and potentially over £1 billion ($1.25B) toward the project.
One source said the government was likely to provide a significant guarantee. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt likely influenced the decision.
The Sunderland factory already produces the electric Nissan Leaf. Nissan is also building its EV360 battery factory at the site, which could produce up to 35 GWh of batteries annually.
The automaker announced it would end ICE vehicle production in Europe in September with plans to only release EVs by 2030.
Despite teasing several futuristic electric models, this is the first Nissan will announce electric versions of two of its best-selling crossovers.
Nissan’s best-selling crossovers are going electric
Nissan’s Qashqai was the best-selling car in the UK last year and the first British-made model to top the charts in 24 years. Over 42,700 models were handed over in the UK last year.
The news comes shortly after the UK’s top financial official, Jeremy Hunt, laid out plans to invest £4.5 billion ($5.6B) in manufacturing with a focus on clean energy. Hunt said the funds will be made available “over the 5 years to 2030.”
He added the investment includes £2 billion ($2.5B) for “zero emissions investments in the automotive sector, something that has been warmly welcomed by Nissan and Toyota.”
Will Toyota announce plans for a new electric vehicle as well? The Japanese automaker has teased several EV concepts, including a sports car, pickup truck, and land cruiser.
Meanwhile, Nissan’s Sakura is the top-selling EV in Japan. The minicar beat out Tesla after launching last year at an affordable price of around ¥2 million ($13,300) with government incentives. Nissan has hinted it wants to produce cheaper EVs. A new “X-in-1” powertrain, due out in 2026, is expected to help cut costs.