Nissan’s first electric car in production for the Chinese market

Nissan has begun production for their first-ever electric car designed specifically for China.

The Japanese company is basing the new electric car, Sylphy Zero Emission, on the Nissan Leaf model and it is set to cost around $24,000. It is being produced with a Chinese partner, Dongfeng Motor Group.

According to reports, Nissan plan a lower-priced electric model for next year and want battery-powered vehicles to make up a third of its sales.

Nissan’s CEO, Hiroto Saikawa, said: “We’re confident that the Sylphy Zero Emission, rolling off production line today, will become a main player in the EV market.”

China’s government view electric cars as a promising industry and a way to clean up its smog-choked cities. China accounted for half of global electric car sales last year.

Mr Saikawa said: “Growth in the Chinese market is a critical part of Nissan’s midterm plan, Nissan M.O.V.E to 2022. China is already the world’s largest automotive market but China isn’t just a leader in terms of market size: it stands at the forefront of the development of the industry itself.”

Nissan are pioneers of electric cars. Their environmental vision is “The preservation and protection of the environment is paramount to a sustainable way of living, and electric is the key to achieving it. By changing the way we approach mobility, we change the way we interact with our environment for the better.”

On the benefits of their electric cars, Nissan say “From revitalising the environment to rejuvenating your bank balance, from optimising energy efficiency in the home to enhancing an entire city. Wherever you look, the benefits of Nissan electric vehicles are everywhere.”

Manufacturers including General Motors and Volkswagen also plan to target the Chinese market with the production of electric cars.