Currently reading: Envision plans major expansion of Sunderland battery plant

Chinese firm plans huge boost in output from UK's only current EV battery factory, built to supply the Nissan Leaf

Envision, the company that runs the UK’s only current EV battery factory, has outlined plans to massive expand its production capacity.

The Sunderland factory currently has an annual production capacity of 1.7GWh, which is set to rise to 11GWh from 2024 when it's expanded to supply batteries for the next-generation Nissan Leaf, which will be reinvented as a crossover.

The Sunderland battery plant was opened in 2012 to make batteries for the Leaf that's built at Nissan’s nearby car factory. Envision took ownership of the site when it bought Nissan’s battery business, AESC, in 2019. 

Envision CEO Lei Zhang told the Financial Times that battery production in Sunderland would eventually rise to 38GWh.

Envision is also partnering with Renault to build a new battery factory in Douai, France, and Zhang added that talks are ongoing with "global car makers" for a supply of batteries from the two sites.

“The electric car has become the starting point for the green industrial revolution,” he told the FT.

Envision is based in Shanghai and is China’s largest producer of wind turbines. It also has battery factories in China, the US and Japan, and is poised to list its battery business on the stock market in the near future.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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jason_recliner 26 October 2021
The curse of Brexit strikes again!
Hughbl 26 October 2021

British Volt hasn't even built a factory yet, let alone delivered a single battery. Meanwhile, Tesla is valued at what exactly?