Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Nissan, USA



After years of preparation, Nissan has finally and officially started making battery packs for the all-electric Leaf in the US. The plant in Smyrna, TN is now online and making batteries for the 2013 Leaf that will go into production nearby early next year in the same plant where Nissan makes the Altima and Maxima. Nissan is calling the new production facility the "largest lithium-ion automotive battery plant" in the US. Until now, all Leaf packs (and vehicles) were made in Japan. Nissan is also opening a Leaf plant in the UK.

While Leafs sales have not reached the numbers Nissan predicted years ago, the car is selling well enough and Nissan has said it expects US Leaf sales to double once the Tennessee plant comes online. In the two years that the car has been on sale, Nissan has sold over 18,000 in the US and more than 46,000 globally; good enough for Nissan to call it "the most successful 100-percent electric vehicle in history." Nissan says the Smyrna plant could make up to 200,000 batteries (previously 150,000) annually.

If you need a simplified graphic description of how a Leaf pack is put together, we've got just the image for you, right below.Continue reading Nissan starts up Leaf battery production in Smyrna, Tennessee

Nissan starts up Leaf battery production in Smyrna, Tennessee originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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