Nissan Embraces Post-Brexit Britain For Auto Production And May Double Output

Nissan Embraces Post-Brexit Britain For Auto Production And May Double Output

Nissan Leaf battery electric vehicle (Photo by Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images)



Getty Images/Sjoerd van der Wal

Nissan of Japan, in an apparent change of direction, said Britain's Brexit deal will be an overall plus for its local factory in Sunderland which might double production to up to 700,000 cars and SUVs a year, and was a big boost for its electric vehicles.

Britain's big auto makers currently also include Toyota, Honda, Tata Motors of India's Jaguar Land Rover, BMW's Mini and Stellantis's Vauxhall. After Britain's exit deal with the European Union the long-term future of the auto industry has been under question. Honda has already decided to close its British factory. The EU's free trade deal with Japan suggested the likes of Toyota and Nissan might find they didn't require factories in Europe. Nissan in particular was thought to be contemplating following Honda out of the country.

News from Tokyo that Nissan now had positive thoughts about the future of its British factory was a change of heart, particularly with its emphasis on the future of electric vehicles.

It remains to be seen if other manufacturers see the future in the same way.