Nissan revealed ambitious plans to transform its storied Sunderland production facility into the UK’s first complete electric vehicle ecosystem. Dubbed “EV36Zero,” the project aims to change how the automotive industry thinks about sustainability.
At the center of it all will be a sprawling new manufacturing plant like no other. Boasting the code name “Electric Avenue,” the facility promises a fully integrated approach bringing vehicle assembly, battery tech, and recycling under one massive renewable-powered roof.
Taking shape on the hallowed grounds of Nissan’s venerable Sunderland operations, Electric Avenue will see the light of day starting in 2023 as construction crews get to work laying the foundations. Within a year, the walls will start to rise on what could be the UK’s most advanced factory of its kind.
When gates finally swing open in 2024, the new facility will kick off production of Nissan’s highly-anticipated new “Crossover Z” – a sleek electric SUV aiming to reshape expectations of affordability and range. Built from the ground up as an EV, it’s sure to turn heads when the wraps come off.
Powering this paradigm shift will be an immense bank of solar panels and wind turbines forming the backbone of Nissan’s most eco-conscious endeavor yet. A “closed loop” approach aims to put the plant ahead of industry peers in eliminating its carbon footprint from the get-go.
In a disused corner of the vast complex, Nissan engineers toil to develop Britain’s first whole-process battery giga-factory. With any luck, within a few short years spent cells from EVs will be returned here for revival, rather than burial in a landfill.
Meanwhile, in meetings both in Japan and Britain’s halls of power, Nissan bigwigs hammer out partnerships with titans like Envision and NEC. Their expertise will help complete Electric Avenue’s ecosystem, ensuring a self-sufficient supply of clean power and locally-made battery packs.
With over £1 billion on the table, this ambitious project looks to safeguard thousands of jobs at Nissan’s crown jewel operation in Sunderland, potentially 42,000 in total across surrounding communities. It’s nothing less than a rebirth not only for Nissan but of UK automotive manufacturing itself.
With opening day fast approaching, ministerial visits are made to this gleaming new temple to sustainability taking shape on the banks of the River Wear. Smiles and handshakes abound – for Nissan, the UK, and the prospects of the country’s nascent EV revolution, better days seem to lie ahead down the zero-emissions highway.
The future looks bright down Electric Avenue. Under a pastel sky, the hum of fuel cells and the whirr of robots building Crossover Z evoke a serenity that belies the project’s scale. Nissan’s vision has banished any doubts that EVs mean the end; instead, this dawn heralds a new era of clean industry and community livelihoods for generations to come.
For many in Sunderland, the birth of EV36Zero signals not just a reborn Nissan but their rebirth. Sally Evans has worked on the assembly line for 25 years, trusting in a technology now viewed as yesterday’s news. “There was doubt in me at first, but seeing this place changing renewed my hope,” she smiles.
Across the facility, armies of young engineers breathe fresh life into the retrofitted Robotville. “We’re preserving the past but retooling it for the future,” laughs Stephen Cho, project lead. His team’s updates ensure the line hits its prodigious targets while avoiding the centuries-old emissions that built Britain.
Beyond the walls, executive Ashwini Swarup surveys the scrubland soon to house two giga-factories. “This will position the UK at the vanguard of Europe’s next industrial revolution,” he proclaims. Their cell production alone will create thousands of high-skill jobs, supplying not just Electric Avenue but automakers across the Isle.
With the ink barely dry, ministers already focus on the global stage Britain now commands. “This shows when we unleash private investment, we lead in the technologies that will define the next century,” boasts Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. The EU can only look on with envy, he grins, as Brexit bears fruit.
Not all welcome the news so warmly, however. On Sunderland’s streets, some voice concern the conversion sidelines loyal powertrain workers. “We’ve poured our lives into engines – what happens to folks like us?” frets Ronald Atkinson, 53. Assurances of retraining do little to still his nerves.
farther afield, shareholders scrutinize the books for signs of trouble. “It’s a bold, brave move, but at what cost?” asks one analyst, eyeing the nine-figure investment. Nissan’s leadership is undeterred, insisting profits will come as their zero-emissions vision takes hold across the globe.
Back on the line, Crossover Z’s prototype rolls off gleaming in midnight blue. Gasps and applause erupt from Nissan old-timers seeing the future arrive. “She’s a beauty – I think we’ve got a winner!” beams Sally, patting her perfect panels. A new chapter is written, but the spirit of Sunderland lives on down Electric Avenue.
With the plant now humming, Nissan sets its sights on greater targets. “Today it’s 100,000 – tomorrow, 350,000 EVs from this site annually,” declares CEO Hideaki Nitani boldly. Suppliers scramble to map the explosive growth, as the government readies incentives to ensure every new car is electric by 2030.
A decade hence, the visage of Sunderland has been redefined. Towering windmills stand where smokestacks once billowed, vast solar fields humming alongside. On streets now quiet, a symphony of electric motors serves as the soundtrack to one of Britain’s biggest success stories in its green industrial evolution.
As the first Crossover Zs roll off the line, the world takes note of Nissan’s ambitious vision coming to life. Orders pour in from Europe and beyond, far exceeding initial forecasts. “The demand shows consumers truly want affordable EVs made sustainably,” says CEO Hideaki Nitani with pride.
To keep up with demand, expansion plans are accelerated. A few miles down the road, the twin battery giga-factories break ground earlier than expected. Once complete, they’ll quadruple cell output to supply Nissan’s global electrification push. Local job numbers soar past initial targets as well.
As Electric Avenue celebrates its first birthday, the 1 millionth Crossover Z is produced. The milestone vehicle is auctioned for a local children’s charity, raising millions. Meanwhile, battery reuse innovations allow a second generation of EVs to hit the road, while recycling ensures near-zero waste.
Five years on, the sprawling Sunderland complex is a showcase for the industry. Automakers from Japan to Germany visit to learn its secrets of sustainable scale. Over 350,000 Zero Emission vehicles now roll off well-oiled lines each year, 97% exported worldwide.
A decade after its launch, Electric Avenue is the highest volume EV production base on Earth. Its spirit of innovation continues as a new smaller city car model debuts, offering entry-level electrics to all. Mini Z is an instant hit which helps Nissan lead UK registrations.
As the 2020s drew to a close, Nissan celebrates producing its 10 millionth UK-made EV. Across its facilities, a workforce of 30,000 now builds electric vehicles, batteries, and supply components for Nissan and partner brands across Europe.
By 2030, new national clean air rules see traditional combustion engines phased out in major cities. Showrooms shift entirely to electrics, many bearing Nissan badges. Its technologies now help electrify commercial fleets and public transport nationwide.
As the era of fossil fuels ends, Electric Avenue’s carbon-neutral production serves as the exemplar. 90% of its energy comes from on-site solar and wind, while batteries achieve 95% end-of-life reuse. Waste is a thing of the past.
On the cusp of 2040, Nissan’s Zero Emission future is secure. New automotive technologies like self-driving and fuel cells are being pioneered at new R&D centers. Yet Electric Avenue remains the heart of its green operations, now humbly powering toward 2 million EVs built.
Now in its third decade, the revival of Sunderland is complete. Once a former industrial powerhouse left behind, it’s reborn “Electric Avenue” powers the UK of tomorrow – leading in sustainable jobs and carbon-free mobility that improves millions of lives. From crisis to unparalleled success, Nissan’s vision lit the path.
