NISSAN and alliance partner Renault are to build eight electric vehicles within the next five years, it was revealed today.
Nissan will build four of the vehicles and will unveil a light commercial electric vehicle at the Paris Motor Show next month, according to Simon Thomas, European senior vice-president for sales and marketing.
Three more electric vehicles are in the pipeline, including two cars, and comes on top of the Leaf – which will go on sale from November.
Mr Thomas said the alliance expected to build 500,000 zero-emission vehicles by 2015.
Although it is yet to be revealed where the vehicles will be built, it is being seen as a major boost to long-term job security at the Sunderland factory, which will be leading the world in battery and electric vehicle production next year.
Mr Thomas said: "The fact that Sunderland has been chosen as the production site in Europe out of 43 countries to produce the batteries and the first electric car – along with another battery plant in Portugal – is probably the biggest vote of confidence Nissan Motor UK has probably ever given."
He also paid tribute to the "brilliant" Sunderland workforce, adding: "It isn't the place, the technology or the robots in Sunder-land. It's the people, their innovation, speed and energy. They are brilliant.
"Eighteen months ago, some of our competitors said EVs weren't a viable proposition.
"But the Alliance has been working on this project for six years and in that time have invested 4bn euros.
"It is a fantastic time to be in the company that is leading the biggest revolution in the automotive industry since it started."
Nissan has also been awarded a share of a ￡52m Government grant to develop its green technology.
In a three-year deal, the firm will work with Lotus and Jaguar Land Rover to develop new engines for plug-in hybrid versions of their cars.
