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If you had asked someone 10 years ago to name an automaker that was leading on electric vehicles, it’s likely the person would say Nissan. If you ask the same question today, I think you’d find a different answer. Just take a look at EV sales in Europe, the US, or China to understand why. Though, Nissan may be intent on changing the story again — on the east side of the Atlantic, at least. In the UK, in particular, Nissan is pumping in a considerable chunk of coin to try to regain its leadership position.

Nissan chose Sunderland, where it already produces the LEAF, to host its “flagship Electric Vehicle (EV) Hub,” EV36Zero. Somehow, this hub launches a “360-degree solution for zero-emission motoring.” We’ll get into what that means in a moment.

Nissan, Envision AESC, and Sunderland City Council are putting £1 billion into the project to start.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, & Politics

Even UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is getting behind the project. “Nissan’s announcement to build its new-generation all-electric vehicle in Sunderland, alongside a new gigafactory from Envision-AESC, is a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly-skilled workers in the North East.

“Building on over 30 years of history in the area, this is a pivotal moment in our electric vehicle revolution and securing its future for decades to come.

“Commitments like these exemplify our ability to create hundreds of green jobs and boost British industry, whilst also allowing people to travel in an affordable and sustainable way so we can eliminate our contributions to climate change.”

Clearly, someone wrote that statement for Boris. It is a good one capturing some key points for both the UK and Nissan. Naturally, after Brexit, this kind of announcement is a huge deal that requires full vocal support from Boris and his clan. The EV36Zero project is supposed to create 6,200 jobs across Nissan and supplier companies — 909 new jobs at Nissan, 750 at Envision AESC, and more or less 4,500 others. It also reportedly protects 75 Nissan R&D jobs and 300 Envision AESC jobs.

Nissan’s Next Step

“This project comes as part of Nissan’s pioneering efforts to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire lifecycle of our products,” Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer, Makoto Uchida said. “Our comprehensive approach includes not only the development and production of EVs, but also the use of on-board batteries as energy storage and their reuse for secondary purposes.”

So, the “360” part of things seems to be that it’s not just about electric vehicle production, but also battery production and battery reuse. So, in essence, it is similar to Tesla’s gigafactory concept.

“Nissan EV36Zero will transform the idea of what is possible for our industry and set a roadmap for the future for all,” Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta added. “We reached a new frontier with the Nissan LEAF, the world’s first mass-market all-electric vehicle. Now, with our partners, Nissan will pioneer the next phase of the automotive industry as we accelerate towards full electrification and carbon neutrality.”

The new Nissan electric vehicle that will be a central focus of the fresh investments is not announced yet. More information will be coming later in the year.

Don’t Forget Envision AESC

The Envision AESC side of the EV Hub is focused on low-carbon production of batteries for Nissan vehicles in a modern battery production facility. The facility “will deploy integrated AIoT smart technology to monitor and optimize energy consumption, manufacturing and maintenance at its new gigafactory, enabling it to rapidly increase production and provide batteries to power up to 100,000 Nissan electric vehicles a year.” Naturally, having the EV battery production so close to the vehicle production helps a great deal to cut down on shipping costs and emissions.

Envision AESC (formerly just AESC) actually opened the first EV battery factory in Europe when it set up shop in Sunderland back in 2012. Since then, it has produced enough EV battery cells, modules, and packs for 180,000 vehicles distributed across 44 countries. All of those batteries have gone into Nissan LEAF and Nissan eNV200 fully electric cars and vans.

“Supporting this new model allocation, Envision AESC will invest £450 million to build the UK’s first gigafactory on the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), adjacent to the Nissan plant, powered by renewable energy and pioneering next-generation battery technology.”

The £450 million investment gets battery production capacity up to 9 GWh at this site. However, it’s possible Envision AESC will invest another £1.8 billion and get that production capacity up to 25 GWh. It’s projected that would create 4,500 “high-value green jobs” by 2030. Furthermore, production capacity could rise all the way to 35 GWh based on current estimates.

It’s not clear what would cause the plant to grow to 25 GWh or 35 GWh rather than 9 GWh, but I presume the key questions are:

  • How hard will Nissan work to sell its EVs?
  • How competitive will its coming EV and any future versions of the LEAF and eNV200 be?
  • How well will Nissan dealers sell its EVs?
  • Will Nissan launch a serious marketing effort to grow its EV brand?
  • Are Envision AESC’s future batteries genuinely competitive?

“The new plant will increase the cost-competitiveness of EV batteries produced in the UK, including through a new Gen5 battery cell with 30% more energy density which improves range and efficiency,” Nissan and Envision AESC state. “This commitment will power Nissan’s new vehicles, supporting the continued localization of vehicle parts and components with advanced technology. This will make batteries cheaper and EVs more accessible to a growing number of customers in the future.”

Nissan Still ♥ UK

“I am extremely proud that Nissan has not only reaffirmed its belief in Britain, but is doubling down on its long-standing commitment to our country,” UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng adds. “The cars made in this plant, using batteries made just down the road at the UK’s first at scale gigafactory, will have a huge role to play as we transition away from petrol and diesel cars and kick-start a domestic electric vehicle manufacturing base.”

To date, Nissan states that it has invested more than £5 billion ($6.9 billion) into the Sunderland EV factory. Aims of this investment have included:

  • R&D at Nissan’s European Technical Centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire
  • Support for UK suppliers to transition to electric vehicles
  • Plant competitiveness and environmental improvements
  • Skills development in the Nissan workforce for future technologies

Long before the LEAF arrived, Nissan started producing vehicles in Sunderland in July 1986. Aside from the LEAF, Nissan also produces the Qashqai and Juke (not electric vehicles) in Sunderland at the moment.

Sunderland City Council is reportedly focused on advancing a 100% renewable electricity microgrid project to power the growing cleantech facilities in its jurisdiction. 10 solar farms totalling 132 MW of power capacity could be built to support this, and there’s already a good amount of wind power in the region. It could also include a large battery using second-life Nissan EV/Envision AESC batteries, perhaps totalling 1 MW in power capacity (a MWh figure was not mentioned).

Nissan announced that it planned to grow its own use of solar power at the Sunderland plant earlier this year.

Featured image courtesy of Nissan (CC BY-NC-ND license)


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Save $510 on the WORX Aventon e-bike at $1,190, plus Earth Day EV sales from Lectric and Rad Power

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Save 0 on the WORX Aventon e-bike at ,190, plus Earth Day EV sales from Lectric and Rad Power

After a week of incredible e-bike deals and special pre-order discounts, you’d think there wouldn’t be much left to cover, but as spring flowers bloom, so too does the desire for adventure – with three more deals. The joint WORX and Aventon e-bike hits $1,190 while a Lectric e-bike sale pairs deals with free accessory bundles. Plus, the RadRunner e-bike line starts from $1,299 alongside all of the other day’s best Green Deals below.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

WORX and Aventon Power Share e-bike hits $1,190 low

WORX is offering its Aventon e-bike powered by Power Share for $1,189.99 shipped. Normally fetching $1,700, this e-bike has seen very few discounts directly from its parent company since its release in January 2023, with most being minor discounts of 10% at most, and the others dropping costs to $1,500 at the lowest. It was available on Amazon at one point, where it saw more frequent discounts over the last year – the previous discount being to $1,199 before it became unavailable, which has been seen at other retailers such as Lowe’s and Walmart as well. Today’s deal comes in as a 30% markdown off the going rate that gives you $510 in savings and marking a new all-time low.

This e-bike is the culmination of WORX’s partnership with Aventon, coming equipped with a 350W motor that is powered by two 8.0Ah Power Share batteries that can be interchanged and used by any lifestyle, power tool, and outdoor power equipment products from the Power Share line. It can reach a top speed of 20 MPH for 28 miles on a single charge and has five levels of pedal assistance alongside a throttle for full electric action when you just want to cruise around town. It has a simplified features detail that includes a step-through frame, 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, Tektro mechanical disc brakes, an IPX4 splash waterproof rating, and a backlit LCD display that gives you real-time performance data and pedal assistance setting controls.

Save on e-bike bundles in Lectric’s Earth Day Sale

Lectric eBikeshas launched an Earth Day Sale through April 22 that is giving up to $727 in free add-on accessories along with your purchase from the selection of the brand’s popular e-bike models. The biggest chance to save is on the XPeak Off-Road High-Step e-bike for $1,399 shipped and the XPeak Off-Road Step-Thru e-bike that is also going for $1,399 shipped, which you can learn about below or by reading through our hands-on review. Since its release in October, we’ve only ever seen this model go for $100 cheaper during occasional sales, the most recent being the company’s February flash sale. Along with your purchase, you’ll also be getting the XPeak spare battery, a rear cargo rack, fenders for both tires, an Elite headlight, and an RST Renegade suspension fork that will arrive pre-installed on the bike for you. All-in-all, this entire package with the e-bike would normally cost you $2,126. We’ve also curated a list below of all the other models and their respective deals.

Like most of Lectric’s models, the XPeak Off-Road e-bike has two color schemes that also go along with its designs, with the high-step model coming in black and the step-thru model coming in white. They are both equipped with a 750W rear hub-motor (1310W Peak) paired with a removable 48V battery that propels the bike up to 28 MPH for up to 55 miles on a single charge. They have five levels of pedal assistance that are monitored by a unique cadence sensor combined with the company’s PWR+ technology, as well as an ergonomic below-the-bar trigger throttle for pure electric action. There’s also an array of add-on features like 4-inch puncture-resistant fat tires, hydraulic mineral oil brakes, a 7-gear Shimano drivetrain, removable pedals, a thru-axle wheel attachment system for tool-free installations, kickstand, a hidden cable routing system, plenty of mounting points for add-ons, and an IP65 water-and-dust-resistant LCD display for real-time performance data.

radrunner 3 plus

Rad Power takes $100 off RadRunner e-bikes and plants trees for Earth Day

Rad Power Bikes has launched an Earth Day Sale through April 24 that is taking $100 off its RadRunner line of e-bikes and committing to planting trees through the National Forest Foundation for every purchase. The best of these deals is on the RadRunner 3 Plus Utility e-bike for $2,099 shipped with the added bonus of receiving a free accessory that is valued under $100. It first launched at $2,299 in March 2023 and has since fallen to a $2,199 MSRP after Rad Power lowered prices across its entire e-bike lineup. We’ve only seen it fall as low as $1,899 during occasional flash sales, often being left out or discounted by $100 during major sales events like Black Friday or Christmas. You can learn more about this model by heading below or reading through our hands-on review.

This utility e-bike comes equipped with a 750W rear hub motor and 672Wh battery that propels it to a max speed of 20 MPH and travels up to 45+ miles on a single charge. It features a five-level pedal assist with a 12 magnet cadence sensor, and a full digital display that gives you a charge indicator, speedometer, odometer, trip odometer, pedal assist level, motor watts, headlight/taillight indicator, trip time, and a clock. It also comes stocked with a rear-mounted cargo rack that offers a 120-pound payload, puncture-resistant fat tires, fenders for both wheels, a standard LED headlight, and an integrated taillight with brake light capabilities.

While the RadRunner 2 and the RadRunner Plus are discounted to $1,299 and $1,699 as part of this sale, they are not included to receive a free accessory like the above model. They both come with a 750W motor and a 672Wh battery that propels them to a max speed of 20 MPH and travels 50 miles for the RadRunner 2 and 45 miles for the RadRunner Plus. The RadRunner 2 has four levels of pedal assistance with a cadence sensor and simple control panel, whereas the RadRunner Plus has five levels of pedal assistance, with a bonus zero level for when you want to manually pedal the bike yourself. They both come with a variety of add-on accessories, but its the Plus model that has been given upgraded ones like its LCD display also having a USB port to charge your personal devices.

This Earth Day Sale will continue through April 24, with the discount on the RadRunner 3 Plus being automatically applied in cart when you add the e-bike and an accessory under $100. You can browse through Rad Power’s included accessories here. And head over to our Green Deals hub to look through all the other e-bike brands that are having spring sales, as well as deals on power stations, electric tools, water heaters, and more.

Spring e-bike deals!

Woman posing with yellow Hover-1 Altai Pro R750 e-bike against black backdrop - for post about WORX Aventon e-bike

Other new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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ZEEKR unveils deluxe version of its MPV with marble and curtain glass called the 009 Grand

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ZEEKR unveils deluxe version of its MPV with marble and curtain glass called the 009 Grand

EV brand ZEEKR has unveiled a new ultra-luxe version of its existing 009 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). The new 4-seat ZEEKR 009 Grand was designed to deliver passengers “extreme luxury,” clad with polished marble, chrome accents, a giant LCD screen, and booming speakers. Did we mention it’s also speedy? Check this thing out.

ZEEKR remains a relatively young EV-centric brand based in China with expanding roots into new global markets, including Europe. The Geely-owned sub-brand’s current portfolio consists of four available models in addition to a new all-electric van called the MIX on the way.

ZEEKR’s second passenger model, the 009, was launched in 2023. It is a large multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) designed to provide sustainable luxury to larger families and livery customers. We had the opportunity to drive the 009 alongside ZEEKR’s flagship 001 shooting brake and were quite impressed.

The original ZEEKR 009 began production over a year ago, complete with energy-dense Qilin batteries from CATL, and has seen respectable sales in China so far. However, to ZEEKR, the 009 wasn’t plush enough, so its engineers have developed a new marble-clad variant that almost demands its chauffeur. Meet the ZEEKR 009 Grand.

ZEEKR’s new 009 Grand screams luxury inside and out

ZEEKR shared details of the 009 Grand today, following a launch event for the new MPV held in China. The automaker describes the updated model as a deluxe, four-seat variant of the 009 that offers its customers a “luxurious, secluded, quiet, comfortable, and safe oasis on the road.”

The front fascia features a stainless steel grille, hand-crafted by master artisans who complete 30 hours of polishing on each and every one. Moving around the side, 20-inch forged wheels have each undergone 10 separate manufacturing processes before 20 hours of polishing, followed by 240 stripes of light and shade laser etched onto its surface.

Speaking of polish, the rear interior cabin is where the ZEEKR 009 truly shines. Have a look.

The back features two comfortable seats with 12-zone support and 24-way adjustments – the only of their kind in the world, according to ZEEKR. An immersive experience is at the core of the design language of the ZEEKR 009 Grand, and its quite apparent from the images above.

The rear cabin features genuine hand-polished marble from the Himalayas, providing a stylish ledge below the MPV’s massive 43-inch mini LED smart screen. To add to the experience inside, ZEEKR has implemented a 31-speaker Yamaha Surround  Sound system. The entire rear area has been positioned to give the feel of a movie theater, including snacks.

 Rear passengers have access to a 18-liter refrigerator with cooling and heating capabilities and a built-in ultraviolet sterilization function. Another key element in delivering this private viewing experience is another industry-first – state-of-the-art LC light curtain glass. Per the release:

In its darkest state, this light curtain glass presents a pure black color. With a light transmittance of only 0.5%, it completely isolates the horns or gaze from the outside world.  With 10 levels of brightness adjustment, the fastest dimming takes only 1.5 seconds. A complete partition is set up between rows on the ZEEKR 009 Grand to create a private suite for backseat passengers. The camera in the rear cabin can automatically flip open in conference mode. Paired with the unique-in-class ‘Privacy Mode,’ the Zeekr 009 Grand guards the privacy of its masters.

“Masters” is an interesting choice of words. Moving on!

Below the 009 Grand is ZEEKR’s 800V platform technology powered by two silicon-carbide-powered electric motors and the aforementioned Qilin batteries, which offer 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 3.9 seconds and 702 km (436 miles) of CLTC range on a single charge.

Lastly, the 009 Grand features a sensor suite complete with LiDAR, high-definition cameras, and millimeter-wave radars, supporting advanced smart assist driving functions for whomever the master’s driver is.

The ZEEKR 009 Grand is available in China now at a starting price of RMB 789,000 ($109,000). Here’s a closer look at that Himalayan marble below:

Source: ZEEKR

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Disneyland announces Autopia will be all-electric within the next 30 months (Updated)

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Disneyland announces Autopia will be all-electric within the next 30 months (Updated)

Disney’s Autopia ride has been making headlines recently, after a park spokesperson told the LA Times that the park was considering ditching gas engines soon. But activists put the pressure on to ensure that Disney goes all-EV with the ride, and fast.

Late Thursday, those activists got their wish, and Disney announced that it would go all-electric with the ride within the next 30 months.

At first, Disney’s statement sounded a little noncommittal and open – they didn’t state a specific timeline, nor specify that the ride would be all-electric. So activists wanted to ensure that both of these things happened.

And late Thursday, Disney spokesperson Jessica Good told the LA Times that electrification “means fully electric — it does not mean hybrid or any other version of a gasoline combustion engine,” and that the park “will no longer be using the current engines within the next 30 months.”

Autopia is a classic ride in Disneyland’s “Tomorrowland” area, but given the EV world we’re living in, its current stinky gas-powered cars certainly don’t seem too futuristic.

The emissions from these engines cause smog and harm the health of those who breathe them – so putting them directly in front of small children isn’t the best idea. But the ride was sponsored by Chevron from 1998-2012, and that company is pretty dedicated to poisoning small children anyway, so it was apt.

Thankfully, in 2012, Disney attracted a new sponsor, Honda, and in 2016, Honda upgraded the engines for greater efficiency. However, the cars still create plenty of exhaust noise and smell, which is still poisonous to the children riding behind these polluting engines. It’s also poisonous to employees, to the point where Disney pays hazard pay to employees who are assigned to staff the ride.

2016 was also notably after EVs had proven themselves in the automotive realm. So upgrading to an old technology seems a little inappropriate for “Tomorrowland.” But Honda themselves have been behind the ball on the EV transition as well.

Tomorrowland is the section within Disneyland which was meant to show visions of the future. It first opened in 1955, and offers a time capsule of what a 1950s vision of the future might have looked like.

Needless to say, in the seven decades hence, things have changed somewhat. To the point where the original designer of the Autopia cars, Bob Gurr, who is now 92 and was interviewed by the LA Times, said “get rid of those God-awful gasoline fumes.”

It’s certainly ironic that in California, where EVs keep setting sales records and where you can’t even buy gas-powered “small off-road engines” anymore, a Disneyland parkgoer might drive to the park in a clean EV, only to show their children a vision of the past with a poisonous, low-performing gas engine on one of the admittedly more-fun rides in the park. Just imagine how much more fun the ride will be when it goes electric.

And Disney could do a lot more to update Tomorrowland with actual visions of the future, rather than an old-timey time capsule. The original Tomorrowland featured a “Carousel of Progress” show of futuristic efficient home appliances, and the Monorail and PeopleMover which both still exist. Disney could showcase more public transport or other post-car mobility options, ideas for futuristic city planning, induction cooktops and more.

But for now, making Autopia electric seems like a great first step.

To this end, local EV advocates and Plug In America are hosting a rally to celebrate Disney’s decision this Sunday, April 21 at 10am at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Not a bad way to spend Earth Day weekend, perhaps after attending one of the LA-area Drive Electric Earth Month events the day before (and one of the founders of Drive Electric Week, Zan Dubin-Scott, is organizing the Burbank rally). The rally was originally planned to put pressure on Disney to go all-EV, but in light of yesterday’s announcement, it has now turned into a celebration.

This article is updated from a previous version of the article which described the pressure being put on Disney to go all-electric. Not long after that article was posted, Disney clarified that it’s planning to go all-EV.

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