Nissan has committed to becoming an all-electric car brand by the end of the decade, according to a report. The company unveiled the new Juke EV, which will be produced at its UK plant in Sunderland, as part of this strategy. The commitment is ahead of the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.
Nissan has been suffering significant financial losses due to a slowdown in sales in China and the US, multiple reports indicate. The Juke EV's radical exterior looks are intended to help reach new customers, Nissan said. The company will continue to sell the existing Juke hybrid over the next few years to avoid relying entirely on EV sales.
The Juke EV's radical exterior looks will 'help us reach new customers'.
The existing Juke hybrid will continue to be produced at the Sunderland plant. The Juke EV will go on sale next year. It will be the third model in Nissan's electric triad, after the French-made Micra and the Leaf. The Leaf is manufactured at the Sunderland factory.
The Juke crossover debuted in 2010 and has bold styling that has divided customers. The Juke is Nissan's second best-seller in Europe, behind the Qashqai SUV. More than 1.5 million Juke examples have been delivered in the last 16 years.
Europe is central to Nissan’s electrification strategy, and we remain firmly committed to a fully electric future.
The third-generation Juke has a sharper, striking design contrasting with the original's bulbous curves. The Juke EV will share architecture with the larger Leaf EV, likely using the same battery and electric motors. Dimensions of the Juke EV are yet to be announced, but it will be bigger than the current Juke. The Juke EV will be the middle size option between the smaller Micra and larger Leaf.
The Juke EV aims to challenge the Ford Puma, which added a fully electric Gen-E variant last year. Massimiliano Messina, Chairman of Nissan, said at a press conference: "Europe is central to Nissan’s electrification strategy, and we remain firmly committed to a fully electric future." He added: "With a rapidly expanding EV line-up, we are bringing greater choice and innovation to every segment, powered by our strong design, engineering and manufacturing footprint in the region." Messina also stated: "Together, this next generation of vehicles will accelerate our transition to zero-emission mobility."
With a rapidly expanding EV line-up, we are bringing greater choice and innovation to every segment, powered by our strong design, engineering and manufacturing footprint in the region.
Together, this next generation of vehicles will accelerate our transition to zero-emission mobility.