Nissan 'in talks to build huge UK battery factory'
Car giant Nissan is
เล่นสล็อต reportedly in advanced talks to build a huge electric car battery plant in the UK.
The Japanese company would not confirm a Financial Times story about the plans for a gigafactory, but pointed to its Sunderland plant's crucial role in producing
electric vehicles.
The FT said Nissan wants the UK to be its main electric hub outside Japan.
The government said it was committed to attracting battery factories, but did not comment on Nissan specifically.
The FT said that the factory, which would be built on the existing Sunderland site, would produce 200,000 batteries a year and support thousands of jobs.
Electric car sales are expected to soar in the next few years as the UK gets ready to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
The measure is part of a 10-point "green industrial revolution" plan announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November last year.
In a statement, Nissan said: "Having established EV [electric vehicle] and battery production in the UK in 2013 for the Nissan Leaf, our Sunderland plant has played
a pioneering role in developing the electric vehicle market.
"As previously announced, we will continue to electrify our line-up as part of our global journey towards carbon neutrality. However, we have no further plans to
announce at this time."
A spokesperson for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), said the government was determined to make the UK a home for the mass
production of electric car batteries.
"We are committed to ensuring the UK continues to be one of the best locations in the world for automotive manufacturing through a major investment programme
to electrify our supply chain, create jobs and secure a competitive future for the sector," the spokesperson said.
Other government sources told the BBC that although there are talks with Nissan, any decisions on battery factories are "nowhere near" being made.
