Lucy Winskell OBE, Chair of the North East LEP, responds to the announcement Nissan plans to invest up to £3bn in electric vehicle production in Sunderland

“Today’s announcement from Nissan reinforces the company’s commitment to the North East, and signals a new future for car manufacturing in our region.

“Not only will it protect thousands of existing jobs at its world leading manufacturing plant, it paves the way for more and better jobs as the company accelerates its transition to full electrification by 2030. Nissan’s commitment to manufacture future electric versions of the Qashqai, JUKE, and LEAF models follows a £1bn investment by Nissan and its partners to build a new electric vehicle hub – EV36Zero – which will create a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem in Sunderland.

“The automotive sector in the North East, and the wider advanced manufacturing industry that supports it, is key to the future success of our region’s economy. Thanks to the adoption of new smart technology across the sector, we’re creating a workforce that is equipped with the skills needed for the jobs of the future. That’s helping to attract investment into the North East and position the region as one of the world’s leading hubs for green energy and advanced manufacturing. 

“As a pioneer in electric vehicles, Nissan’s continued investment in the North East means we can capitalise on the huge economic opportunities provided by the transition to electrification. It also means as a region, we can play a leading role in government’s ambition to reach net zero by 2050.”