Tag Archives: Production

News

Next-Gen Qashqai Rolls Off the Line with Segment-Leading e-POWER Efficiency

The first examples of the most advanced Nissan Qashqai yet, featuring the next-generation e-POWER powertrain, have rolled off the assembly line at its flagship manufacturing facility in Sunderland. The launch marks a significant step forward for the best-selling crossover, in line with Nissan’s wider vision for electrified mobility as part of its EV36Zero initiative.

Built on Production Line One, the latest iteration of the Qashqai showcases not only an enhanced version of Nissan’s unique e-POWER system, but also raises the benchmark for efficiency, refinement, and responsiveness in the C-segment crossover market. Boasting best-in-class fuel consumption of just 4.5L/100km (WLTP) and a theoretical driving range of up to 1,200 kilometers, the new Qashqai takes another step toward a fully electric future—without the need to plug in.

A Drive That Feels Electric, Without the Cable

Nissan’s e-POWER system is unlike typical hybrids. While it uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, the wheels are powered exclusively by an electric motor. The internal combustion engine acts only as a generator to supply electricity to the battery, offering drivers a smooth, EV-like experience—with immediate torque delivery, linear acceleration, and impressive cabin quietness.

In its latest form, e-POWER has undergone substantial upgrades:

  • Fuel economy: Improved to 4.5L/100km, with CO₂ emissions cut by 12% to 102g/km
  • Performance: Sport Mode now provides an additional 11kW boost for sharper throttle response
  • Refinement: Cabin noise reduced by up to 5.6 decibels, enhancing the premium feel
  • Range: Up to 1,200km, making it ideal for long-distance, low-stress driving

A Milestone in UK Manufacturing

The production start comes as Sunderland Plant celebrates a major milestone: the 4.5 millionth Qashqai built since the model’s launch in 2006. That equates to one Qashqai produced every 2.5 minutes over the past 19 years—a testament to the vehicle’s enduring popularity and the plant’s manufacturing prowess.

Speaking at the launch, Adam Pennick, Vice President for Manufacturing at Nissan UK, praised the team’s dedication:

“Our world-class manufacturing and engineering team have been building Qashqai with pride since 2006. That’s why we have the perfect blend of experience, skill and technical expertise to manufacture Qashqai with this fantastic new e-POWER drivetrain.”

He added,

“It was an exciting moment to watch the first new e-POWER battery being fitted on the production line. We’re confident that our customers worldwide will love this new, no-compromise electrified powertrain.”

Driving Toward EV36Zero

The Qashqai e-POWER is just the beginning. Nissan’s EV36Zero project aims to transform Sunderland into a global hub for EV manufacturing. The blueprint combines vehicle production, renewable energy, and battery development in a bid to lead the industry into a sustainable future.

Following the Qashqai, the Sunderland team is already gearing up for the next big launches: the all-electric next-generation Nissan LEAF, and in 2026, the fully electric Nissan Juke. Both models will be central to Nissan’s zero-emissions ambitions.

“Building fantastic cars that our customers love is what we do best,” Pennick said. “To see these cutting-edge vehicles driving silently off our lines shows we are pushing forward with our EV36Zero vision for EV manufacturing.”

The first examples of the most advanced Nissan Qashqai yet, featuring the next-generation e-POWER powertrain, have rolled off the assembly line at its flagship manufacturing facility in Sunderland. The launch marks a significant step forward for the best-selling crossover, in line with Nissan’s wider vision for electrified mobility as part of its EV36Zero initiative.

Source: Nissan

News

Lotus Could Leave UK After Nearly 60 Years

The future of Lotus’s historic home in Hethel hangs in the balance as the company’s Chinese owners consider a major shift in strategy that could see production move to the United States, in a bid to navigate escalating trade tensions and stem mounting financial losses.

Sources close to the matter revealed to Autocar that a directive to wind down production at Hethel has come from top-level management in China, with a temporary halt already in effect for the factory’s sole model, the Emira, since mid-May. The decision comes amid increasing tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese-built electric vehicles (EVs), a market Lotus has identified as crucial for its future growth.

However, the closure is not yet final. Reports indicate the UK government is actively working behind the scenes to offer a support package aimed at retaining production on British soil. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is reportedly scheduled to meet Lotus executives on Sunday, June 28, in a bid to preserve jobs and safeguard one of Britain’s most iconic automotive brands.

In a carefully worded statement posted on social media, Lotus sought to reassure stakeholders, stating: “Lotus Cars is continuing normal operations. There are no plans to close any factory.” The statement went on to emphasize the UK’s central role in the company’s operations, housing its sports car manufacturing, global design centre, motorsport activities, and engineering hub. Nonetheless, it also acknowledged that Lotus is “actively exploring strategic options to enhance efficiency and ensure global competitiveness.”

The strategic pivot comes at a turbulent time for Lotus. Since its acquisition by Chinese automotive giant Geely in 2017, the brand has undergone a sweeping transformation—one that has yet to pay off financially. Despite a £2 billion investment and the rollout of new electric models like the Eletre SUV and Emeya sedan, Lotus posted a $183 million loss in Q1 2025, with debt ballooning to $3.3 billion. Vehicle deliveries fell 42% in the same period.

Tariffs have hit hard. The Eletre, Lotus’s flagship electric SUV, has been pulled from the US market due to the country’s new 100% import tariff on China-made EVs. Sales in Europe and China have also stumbled, with deliveries of both the Eletre and Emeya down 31% year-over-year.

In response, Lotus is doubling down on “localization” strategies, with CEO Feng Qingfeng confirming that discussions are underway to relocate some production to the United States. One likely destination is Volvo’s under-utilized plant in South Carolina—another Geely-owned facility—where even the Emira could eventually be built.

Adding to the company’s troubles, recent cost-cutting measures have seen 270 workers laid off at Hethel, the closure of its newly established Clerkenwell headquarters, and the handover of its Park Lane showroom to dealership group HR Owen. The company has also postponed its planned electric sports car, citing tepid market enthusiasm.

“Is the market ready for an electric sports car? I don’t really know the answer to that yet,” Lotus Europe CEO Matt Windle told Autocar last month. Windle has reportedly been pushing for more models to be built in Hethel, which produced just over 5,000 Emiras last year, despite a theoretical capacity of 10,000.

Looking ahead, Lotus is repositioning its lineup to focus on hybrid performance. The company’s first plug-in hybrid—the Eletre Hyper Hybrid—is set to launch in China in early 2026, with future Lotus sports cars expected to follow the electrified path.

Despite Geely’s £100 million investment into Hethel’s modernization, including a state-of-the-art sports car facility opened in 2022, the site’s future remains uncertain. Critics within the company are not mincing words. One former senior executive described the potential closure as “a disgrace.”

For Britain’s automotive sector, losing Lotus would be more than symbolic. While small in output compared to JLR or Nissan, Lotus has been a mainstay of British engineering since Colin Chapman bought the Hethel airfield in 1966. Its loss would be a blow to the UK’s ambitions to scale car production to 1.3 million units by 2035—an ambition laid out just this week as part of a new industrial strategy.

With government negotiations ongoing and geopolitical pressures mounting, the fate of Hethel—and perhaps the soul of Lotus—now hangs in the balance.

Source: Autocar