Nissan Sunderland Investment
Nissan Invests £170 Million to Build Kicks Hybrid at UK Sunderland Plant
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Key Points
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The Kicks has sold more than 1.8 million units globally since its introduction and is currently produced in Japan, Mexico and Brazil; its European launch will be the model’s first in the region.
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Nissan’s latest e-POWER system uses a 5-in-1 electric drivetrain combining the motor, generator, inverter, reducer and increaser, while a 1.4-liter combustion engine generates electricity for the battery rather than directly driving the wheels.
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Nissan is in talks with Chinese automaker Chery about manufacturing vehicles in Sunderland, a potential arrangement that could eventually bring the facility’s total output to as many as six models.
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The investment comes as Nissan undertakes a broader restructuring involving cost reductions, plant closures and the cancellation or suspension of some future models; the UK government has been negotiating financial support to secure longer-term investment in Sunderland.
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UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said Nissan has been at the “heart of British manufacturing for four decades,” adding that the plant has supported thousands of skilled jobs and helped establish northeast England as a global automotive hub.
Nissan is investing £170 million to build its Kicks compact crossover at its Sunderland plant, marking the model's first European production run. The Guardian reports the hybrid Kicks will use Nissan's e-POWER technology, joining the Qashqai, Juke, and Leaf on production lines at the facility, which employs 6,000 people and is celebrating 40 years of manufacturing.
The Kicks has sold over 1.8 million units globally since launch and is currently made in Japan, Mexico, and Brazil. FleetPoint notes this investment marks the tenth Nissan model assigned to Sunderland and signals confidence in the plant's future amid the company's broader restructuring push toward electric vehicles.
A Hybrid Engine That Replaces Traditional Drivetrains
The Kicks will be powered by Nissan's latest e-POWER system—a 5-in-1 electric drivetrain that combines the motor, generator, inverter, reducer, and increaser into one compact unit. Unlike conventional hybrids, the 1.4-liter combustion engine doesn't directly drive the wheels. Instead, it generates electricity for the battery, letting the electric motor handle all propulsion.
Sunderland's Growing Role in Nissan's European Strategy
The Sunderland plant has produced more than 12 million vehicles over four decades and now hosts ten different Nissan models. Business Sector reports Nissan is also in talks with Chinese automaker Chery about manufacturing vehicles at Sunderland, a potential deal that could expand the facility's output to as many as six models total.
UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds praised the investment, saying Nissan has been at the "heart of British manufacturing for four decades" and has supported thousands of skilled jobs while establishing northeast England as a global automotive hub.
Electric Vehicles and Restructuring Shape Nissan's Path Forward
This Kicks investment comes as Nissan undertakes a wider restructuring involving cost cuts, plant closures, and the cancellation or suspension of some future models. The company is pushing toward electric vehicles, with plans for an electric Juke already in development. However, What Car notes Nissan has not yet announced a production start date for the European Kicks.
The UK government has been negotiating financial support to secure longer-term investment in Sunderland. The £170 million Kicks commitment reflects Nissan's confidence in the plant's future, even as the broader auto industry faces economic headwinds.
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