The first electric car for Nissan Motor Co’s premium brand Infiniti will be a sporty sedan produced in China, the Japanese carmaker said in a statement viewed by Reuters ahead of a public announcement expected as soon as Wednesday. The vehicle would hit the market around three years, and consumers would get a taste when the company unveils a concept car, dubbed the Qs Inspiration electric sedan, at the Shanghai auto show later this week, Nissan officials said. “China has the most growth potential for electric vehicles globally, especially in the premium segment,” Infiniti Chairman Christian Meunier said in the statement seen by Reuters.
In other news, Nissan will stop the production of its Infiniti brand at its Sunderland production facility by July that will put 250 jobs at risk. The Japanese car manufacturer said that this move is a part of plans that aim at withdrawing from premium car market in western Europe. Here, the Infiniti brand faces fierce competition from the local rivals including some renowned brands like Jaguar Land Rover, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Nissan currently has about 250 employees on Infiniti production in Sunderland. The latest plan is a blow to the workers at the Sunderland factory, which is the UK’s largest car production facility, after Nissan announced its plans to make the new X-Trail in Japan. The decision by the company to withdraw Infiniti from western Europe only means that Sunderland will miss on investment in the production of QX50 model.
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