Britain to build batteries for first electric car

Britain will produce batteries for the world’s first mass-produced electric car, which is due to go on sale in 2010.

The Nissan ‘Leaf’ is a hatchback design, which the company hopes will become the world’s first mass-produced electric car.

Nissan believes that electric vehicles have enough potential to justify the considerable investment it is making – £200m at its Sunderland factory alone.

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the price would be competitive: “The monthly cost of the battery, plus the electric charge, will be less than the cost of gasoline”.

Nissan takes a gamble on electric cars

Nissan has said that it plans to make 100,000 electric cars a year by 2012. Nissan is gambling on a future car market dominated by electric vehicles rather than the petrol/battery hybrids currently being developed by its rivals, Toyota and Honda.

Nissan aims to revive its fortunes by becoming the first car maker to mass produce an electric vehicle. It will unveil its new electric car later this summer before full-scale production begins in 2012.

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn said “We are the only one working to mass-market EVs [electric vehicles] and investing for mass marketing – which is a risk, but we think it’s a bet in the right direction.”

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Nissan will be hoping that their electric car will do for alternative-fuelled cars what the Model T Ford did for petrol-powered vehicles.”

• New car warranty for electric vehicles
• £25m boost for electric cars
• Public invited to test electric cars
• Green Car of the Year 2009

What is the ETA?

The ETA is an ethical organisation providing motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products – including a specialised service for electric vehicles.