Nissan Drops Plan to Build EV Drive Units in UK

Nissan Motor Co. has withdrawn plans to manufacture electric vehicle (EV) powertrains in Britain as the struggling automaker reviews production strategy and factory operations, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Nissan is reportedly abandoning plans to build an EV drive-unit facility in Sunderland, UK, amid restructuring efforts. (Photo: Nissan UK)

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JATCO Ltd., a Nissan subsidiary jointly developing EV drive units, had planned to build a factory in Sunderland in 2026 to supply components to Nissan’s local assembly plant, Kyodo News reported.

The EV models currently produced or planned for production at the Sunderland facility include the Nissan Leaf and the Nissan Juke, which is expected to launch in Europe in 2027.

The Yokohama-based automaker is expected to source the necessary drive units from Japan instead, according to Mainichi Japan.