Nissan invests £170m in Sunderland to build new Kicks e-POWER
Nissan is investing £170 million in its Sunderland plant to build the new Kicks compact crossover for European customers, strengthening the UK site’s role in the manufacturer’s electrified vehicle production.
The investment comes as Nissan celebrates 40 years of manufacturing in Sunderland, where the Kicks will be produced alongside the Qashqai, Juke and LEAF.
The B-segment crossover will be equipped with Nissan’s e-POWER hybrid technology and represents the European debut of the second-generation Kicks.
Massimiliano Messina, Chairperson Nissan AMIEO Region, said: “This is fantastic news for our European region and demonstrates the agility and speed with which we can bring new models to new markets.
“Kicks is a compact crossover, with the unique e-POWER hybrid drivetrain, exciting design and innovative technology. Electrification with choice is what European customers want, and the introduction of Kicks will further demonstrate how Nissan has options for all.”
Sunderland secures tenth Nissan model
The Kicks will become the tenth Nissan model to be built at the Sunderland plant since production began in 1986.
The site has now produced 12 million vehicles, with the milestone equivalent to an average of one car leaving the production line every 1 minute and 45 seconds.
UK Government Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds said: “Nissan has been at the heart of British manufacturing for four decades, with Sunderland producing millions of vehicles that supported thousands of skilled jobs and helped establish the North East as a global automotive powerhouse.
“The decision to build this new model in Sunderland is a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s manufacturing expertise and automotive future. I’m excited in what our partnership with industry can achieve so this Government delivers good growth, investment and skilled jobs in every postcode.”
Adam Pennick, Vice President of Manufacturing, Nissan Sunderland Plant, said: “I’m proud to welcome this new model allocation for Sunderland. It’s the perfect way to celebrate our 40th year as a world-class manufacturing site. We look forward to seeing Kicks e-POWER hybrid going down the production line with our electrified line up of Qashqai, Juke and LEAF.”
Nissan’s European operations are also preparing for another new model announcement, following the company’s confirmation that a new A-segment electric car will be called PIXO and unveiled the following week.
The Kicks is currently manufactured in Japan, Mexico and Brazil for global markets. More than 1.8 million Kicks vehicles have been sold across more than 70 countries.
e-POWER brings electric drive without charging
The Kicks will use Nissan’s third-generation e-POWER hybrid system, which was launched in 2025 and has been re-engineered to deliver improvements in fuel efficiency, emissions and refinement.
Unlike conventional hybrids, the wheels of an e-POWER vehicle are driven solely by an electric motor. The petrol engine acts as a generator, producing electricity and charging the onboard battery.
The system is designed to provide the instant response and smooth acceleration associated with an electric vehicle, while retaining the convenience of refuelling at a petrol station.
More than 1.9 million e-POWER hybrid vehicles have been sold globally since the technology was introduced in 2016. This includes more than 200,000 Qashqai e-POWER models manufactured in the UK.
The Sunderland plant already produces e-POWER versions of the Qashqai, giving the site established experience of Nissan’s electrified hybrid technology.
Nissan marks 40 years in Sunderland
Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK has received around £5 billion of investment over four decades and has produced vehicles for more than 100 markets worldwide.
The plant directly employs around 6,000 people and supports a further 30,000 jobs across its supply chain.
Sunderland’s production history includes the Bluebird, Primera, Micra, Almera, Note, Infiniti Q30, Juke, Qashqai and LEAF. The Kicks will now join that line-up.
From next year, Sunderland will also manufacture the all-new third-generation Nissan Juke, which will become an all-electric model for the first time.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “Today’s announcement is a major boost for Nissan Sunderland, the thousands of highly skilled jobs it supports and the wider local supply chain. It is also another vote of confidence in UK automotive manufacturing with its world-class workforce, innovation and engineering excellence.
“The UK sector has the fundamental strengths to secure growth. But to unlock that potential, we must continue to strengthen our competitiveness – supporting a healthy market, tackling the high cost of business, especially energy and additional employment costs – and ensuring trade works for manufacturers. Do this and yet more companies will choose to build the next generation of vehicles here in Britain.”
Nissan also maintains a design centre in Paddington, London, and a research and development facility in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.
