Nissan has delayed the production of electric vehicles (EVs) at its Canton, Ohio plant, now pushing the start date to at least 2028. In addition, the company has scrapped plans to produce a smaller electric SUV in the U.S., which was originally set to sit between the LEAF and Rogue models in size.
The delay was confirmed by Nissan official Amanda Plecas, Senior Manager of Manufacturing and Labor Communications, who noted that the company is focused on transforming the Canton plant into a “Nissan Intelligent Factory” for EV production by 2028. This shift follows Nissan’s February 2022 announcement of a $500 million investment to produce two new Nissan and Infiniti EV models at the plant, slated to begin in 2025.
Initially, the Canton plant was expected to build several new electric models, including a smaller electric SUV. However, according to reports from Automotive News, Nissan has decided not to move forward with this model in Ohio, notifying suppliers of the change. The SUV will now be manufactured at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK instead. Nissan spokesperson Brian Brockman explained that the company is focusing on other EV projects at the Canton plant with more promising sales potential.
This decision comes amid a challenging U.S. EV market, where competition from automakers like Hyundai, Kia, and Volkswagen is intensifying. Nissan has seen a decline in its U.S. market share, which now stands at 5.8%, down from 7.9% five years ago, according to Automotive News Research & Data Center. AutoForecast Solutions vice president Sam Fiorani noted that adding another smaller SUV to the crowded EV market would not be a strategic move for Nissan.
Source: Madison County Journal