Nissan began U.S. production of its Leaf electric vehicle in Smyrna, Tenn., this week.
Electric vehicle sales have been disappointing, but that isn’t stopping Nissan from plowing ahead with plans to expand production of its Leaf EV.
Nissan began U.S. assembly of the Leaf on Wednesday, marking the latest milestone in the automaker’s plans to ramp up its EV production.
Is Nissan foolishly pushing ahead with increased EV production or is it trying to create the critical mass some critics say the EV market is lacking?
Nissan is building the Leaf in its sprawling Smyrna, Tenn., complex, right alongside the gasoline-powered vehicles it also produces there.
Last fall, Nissan began production of batteries for the Leaf in an adjacent facility, making it the only automaker that also manufactures its own EV batteries. While a huge gamble, producing its own batteries will allow Nissan to avoid problems with independent battery suppliers that have plagued some automakers. It controls the production and can kick in extra funding whenever needed.
Nissan made improvements to the Leaf for 2013 including faster charging and a lower-priced base model.
A123, an EV battery supplier in Livonia, Mich., which produces batteries for automakers including Fisker, recently declared bankruptcy after problems with its batteries for the Fisker Karma forced it to recall every Karma built so far.
Click here to read about the Chinese supplier buying A123.
Though the Leaf is a revolutionary vehicle, its assembly requirements are similar to those of its traditional siblings, the Altima and Maxima, with which it shares a manufacturing line. Adding the electric vehicle to the Smyrna manufacturing environment required only a few process changes such as the addition of quality confirmation specifically for electric vehicles and special training for technicians.
“Bringing assembly of the innovative 2013 Nissan Leaf to our award-winning manufacturing plant speaks to the flexibility, efficiency and talent of our U.S. workforce,” said Susan Brennan, Nissan’s vice president of manufacturing in Smyrna. “Nissan has a 30-year history of building quality vehicles in Smyrna, and just like every vehicle we produce, the Leaf has met or exceeded every one of our rigorous quality requirements.”
Nissan also produces its own electric motors for the Leaf at its powertrain plant in Decherd, Tenn.
“We truly have localized U.S. manufacturing of the LEAF’s major components across the board,” Brennan said.
Nissan has sold about 50,000 Leafs worldwide, with nearly 20,000 of them sold in the U.S.
“The Nissan LEAF has expanded beyond early adopters and is now appealing to a broad spectrum of consumers.” said Brian Carolin, Nissan’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Since we launched the Leaf in 2010, we’ve learned that people are very attracted to the advanced technology and other amenities, but they are also looking for a more affordable price point.”
Improvements to the 2013 Leaf include 240-volt charging that is nearly twice as fast as the previous model, as well as a broader range of trim levels starting with the more affordable S grade.