Government
welcomes the Nissan green Leaf to the UK
- Nissan to build UK's first mass market electric car
- Government commits £20.7m grant to support Nissan investment in
battery plant and car production
- Nissan investment of more than £420 million safeguards and
creates 550 highly skilled engineering jobs at Sunderland
News that Nissan will produce their electric car, the LEAF, in
Sunderland was welcomed by the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson
today (18 March).
The Government is to commit £20.7 million under the Grant for
Business Investment scheme for both the production of the car and
the new battery plant at Sunderland. This will support total
investment of over £420 million by Nissan in their UK operations.
Nissan has plans to make up to 50,000 vehicles and 60,000
batteries a year which will help to safeguard and create over 550
highly skilled jobs at the Sunderland plant.
The Business Secretary announced the government investment for
Nissan as one of the company's top executives
demonstrated the advanced technology of the car at the
Department's offices in London.
Lord Mandelson said:
"This investment is a fantastic vote of confidence in
the Sunderland plant and its excellent workforce.
"The automotive sector is of key importance to the UK.
It supports R&D, technological innovation, skills and a
supply chain that's a mainstay of the wider manufacturing sector.
"Today's news from Nissan, with support from
government, shows that by working together we can achieve our aim
of making the UK a world-leader in ultra-low carbon vehicles."
Andy Palmer, senior Vice President responsible for
Nissan's global electric vehicle strategy, said:
"The world is at the dawn of a new era in automotive
transport. Nissan LEAF, which will go on sale later this year, is
a five-seater hatchback that offers the same space, practicality
and performance of a similar car in its class - minus the tailpipe emissions."
"Thanks to the UK's firm commitment to a low
carbon future in terms of infrastructure, customer incentives and
educational programmes, Nissan LEAF will be built at Sunderland,
making the UK the third country in the world to produce this
revolutionary car."
Earlier today the Government also said it is to support
Ford's £1.5 billion investment in creating a new
generation of environmentally friendly engines. The Government
will provide £380 million in loan guarantees towards six Ford
projects through its Automotive Assistance Programme (AAP).
Ford's plans will safeguard around 2.800 highly skilled
jobs in the UK at its manufacturing plants in Dagenham,
Southampton and Bridgend in south Wales as well as its research
and development centre at Dunton in Essex.
Government support for Nissan and Ford follows last
week's announcement of a 300 million Euros loan guarantee
to General Motors Europe, helping to secure the company's
operations in the UK at Ellesmere Port, Luton and Millbrook and
the rest of Europe.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. A year ago Business Secretary Lord Mandelson was at the
Sunderland plant where he witnessed a Memorandum of Understanding
signed by the regional development agency, One North East (ONE)
and Nissan to explore the development of zero emission mobility.
2. The Government said that it would support Nissan when the
company announced in July 2009 that it was planning to build a
battery plant in Sunderland.
3. The North East has been created as a Low Carbon Economic Area
(LCEA) for ultra low carbon vehicles (July 2009). It is being
delivered by One North East. LCEAs aim to accelerate the
development of priority low carbon sectors by focussing on
geographic areas of the UK where there are clear existing strengths.
4. Regional support for the development of electric vehicles has
seen dozens of companies and organisations pledge more than £1m
for charging points. Through the Plugged in Places programme,
these partners are helping One North East to install 1,300
charging points at locations ranging from garden centres and
hotels to new housing schemes and supermarkets, to visitor
destinations including Hadrian's Wall and the Newcastle
and Gateshead Quaysides.
5. The North East has been selected as one of the first three UK
Electric Car Hubs alongside London and Milton Keynes. These three
locations will act as national trailblazers for electric vehicle
charging infrastructure and will be linked by a network of
charging points at motorway services and railway station car parks.
6. As with all projects of this size, the Government sought
independent, commercially-based advice from the Industrial
Development Advisory Board (IDAB))The IDAB is appointed under
Section 10 of the Industrial Development Act 1982. It provides
independent advice to Ministers in BIS on applications from
companies who are proposing to undertake capital investment
projects in the Assisted Areas in England and have applied for
financial assistance under the Grant for Business Investment (GBI) scheme.
7. The Grant for Business Investment scheme is part of Solutions
for Business, the government's streamlined portfolio of
business support products accessible via Business Link.
8. This grant is subject to approval from the European
Commission. Government officials will now be working closely on
this with the EC.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Joanna Fletcher
Phone: 020 7215 5951
Joanna.Fletcher@bis.gsi.gov.uk