Feb 11, 2011
Construction begins on Nissan's battery factory in Cacia
PUB
Nissan's electric car battery factory in Cacia, Aveiro, starts today with the launch of the first stone, which is scheduled to start production next year.
The launch ceremony for the first stone of the advanced lithium-ion battery plant, which represents an investment of 156 million euros, will be chaired by Prime Minister José Sócrates. The Portuguese factory will produce 50,000 lithium-ion batteries per year, which is enough to meet 25 percent of the needs of the European market for Nissan electric vehicles and will create 200 direct and hundreds of indirect jobs.
With an area of 20 thousand square meters in the complex of CACIA (Companhia Aveirense de Componentes para el Industria Automóvel), "Nissan's production unit reinforces the role of Portugal as a place of research, production and testing of components and solutions for vehicles electricity, "José Sócrates' cabinet said in a statement.
The Japanese brand has chosen the Portuguese market to launch the European Nissan Leaf, the first 100 percent electric vehicle, and Portugal is the second country after Japan, where Nissan will invest in a unit in this business area. The Renault-Nissan Alliance - the world's third-largest automotive group by volume - is committed to being a leader in zero-emission mobility. In addition to Portugal, the Alliance has confirmed battery production facilities in France, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The first generation of lithium ion batteries will allow a range of 160 kilometers to the vehicle, with batteries of 250 kilograms. "Nissan's commitment in Portugal through this production unit is a deepening of investment in this area and a large investment in terms of job creation, technology and exports, contributing to a long-term improvement of the national and regional economy "the prime minister's office said in a statement.
The Program for Electric Mobility intends to create the conditions for the massification of the Electric Vehicle, based on an infrastructure adapted to the evolution of the Electric Vehicle fleet and the development of a service model that allows any citizen and organization to access any solution of electric mobility provided by any vehicle manufacturer.
(20min delay)