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Nissan Gets UK Cash for Building Electric Cars

The United Kingdom makes another step towards preserving jobs of those involved in the automotive industry in the country by offering cash to Nissan to build electric cars at its Sunderland plant. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is on his way to the Sunderland production facility to join the so-called Memorandum of Understanding between Nissan and regional development agency One North East, autocar.co.uk writes.

The whole agreement actually consists of a four-month study to determine whether electric cars would bring high sales in the United Kingdom, the same source adds. However, the local government is willing to provide million of pounds in state aid to Nissan in order to convince the Japanese manufacturer produce electric cars at its Sunderland facility and thus, protect the 4000 jobs at the plant.

“Nissan has made a clear commitment to lead the global automotive industry in the mass marketing of electric vehicles," Andy Palmer, who is responsible for Nissan’s global EV strategy, said according to the aforementioned source.

“To that end the Renault-Nissan Alliance has formed strategic partnerships with a growing number of governments, cities and organisations. Today’s signing with One North East will advance the deployment of EVs worldwide and promotes the north east as a region ready and willing to embrace zero emission mobility.”

Speaking of electric cars, Nissan will officially debut the first model in Japan and in the United States in 2012, with global markets to receive them in the next few years.

Nissan announced in early January that it will fire around 1,200 workers in the United Kingdom, with 400 of these job layoffs addressed to temporary workers.

"However by doing so, we are helping to safeguard our long-term future which I believe is extremely positive. The long-term future of the plant must remain our over-riding priority,” Trevor Mann, Nissan's senior vice president for manufacturing, Europe, said in a statement in January.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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