The involvement of Sunderland City Council in the program extends to the development of a “100% renewable” electricity “micro-grid”, which would save 55,000 tonnes of carbon per year. Building on the renewable energy sources already in place at the Sunderland site, the Microgrid plans, estimated at around £ 80million, could see up to ten new solar farms installed and implement a direct connection to “renewable energy from the UK grid”.
A 1 MW energy storage facility will also be installed at the site, including second-life batteries from Nissan electric vehicles, which will allow excess electricity to be stored and deployed as needed, helping to balance the power supply. network request.
Some £ 423million, meanwhile, will go towards the production of a new electric crossover that “promises next-generation vehicle styling, efficiency and battery technology, making the switch to electric driving even more so. accessible ”. Nissan remains discreet about its positioning, but a preview image suggests that it will be slightly smaller than the Ariya, but adopt a silhouette similar to that of a coupe.
It will use the same CMF-EV architecture used by the new Mégane E-tech from Ariya and Renault, an Alliance partner. No production start date has been given, but the current-generation Leaf will no longer be produced around 2024, suggesting the new model could replace Nissan’s pioneer production electric vehicle.
The Sunderland site will produce the new electric vehicle for European markets, resulting in the creation of 909 new jobs at the site, while preserving 75 additional R&D positions. Nissan has promised more details on additional global production sites, pricing and release dates closer to the vehicle’s launch.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the historic announcement as “a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly skilled workers in the North East”.
He added: “Building on more than 30 years of history in the region, this is a pivotal moment in our electric vehicle revolution and securing its future for decades to come. Commitments like these exemplify our ability to create hundreds of green jobs and boost UK industry, while also enabling people to travel affordably and sustainably so that we can eliminate our contributions to climate change. “
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-01 06:29:00
