Electric Nissan Qashqai axed say reports: British-built EV victim of cost-cutting drive
The zero-emissions version of Nissan’s best-selling SUV was expected to arrive soon, and would have been built at the brand’s Sunderland plant
New reports say that Nissan has stopped development of the fully electric Qashqai. The Nissan Qashqai EV was promised three years ago as part of a £3 billion investment in the firm’s Sunderland plant, but it now looks like the project has been shelved as the Japanese brand continues to look for ways to save money.
Multiple sources told Reuters that the electric Qashqai was quietly shelved early last year. The indication is that because development has halted, if Nissan did decide to bring the project back in future, it may not be possible until early next decade - leaving the firm behind its rivals in the fiercely competitive electric SUV class.
While Nissan hadn’t committed to an exact timeframe for the electric Qashqai’s arrival, we were expecting it to launch fairly soon. It would have been the final part of a new electric car trio from the brand, all built in Sunderland, with the others being the Mk3 Leaf that’s now on sale and the next-generation Juke revealed earlier this year.
Restructuring at Nissan
Since Nissan announced plans for the electric Qashqai in 2023, the company has undergone a major restructuring as part of its global economic recovery plan called Re:Nissan. The plan launched last year and involved axing roughly 20,000 jobs worldwide.
However, according to Reuters, Nissan is currently in talks to secure financial support for an updated roadmap for its Sunderland plant that’s expected to be announced in the coming months. This would hopefully clarify the progress and plans for the electric Qashqai.
When asked for comment, Nissan didn’t confirm or deny the validity of these reports, or provide any details about the plans for an electric Qashqai. But it did say in a statement: “Qashqai is a global best-seller and we will continue to build on our rich history of electrifying our products – we’re excited to share future plans so watch this space!
“Nissan already has the all-electric Micra, Leaf and Ariya. This electrified line-up will be boosted by an entry level A-segment EV later this year and the UK-built Juke EV in early 2027.”
Nissan’s electrified line-up also includes its hybrid e-Power models and it seems to be focusing heavily on hybrid power at the moment, like so many other brands. Earlier this year, Nissan also cancelled plans for two other electric SUVs planned for the American market.
Legislative hurdles
Proposals for new ‘Made in Europe’ rules regarding local content requirements for new cars won’t help the case for the electric Qashqai built in the UK. Under the current version of this legislation, called the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), British-built cars won’t be able to receive the same incentives, like those for company car taxes, as any produced in mainland Europe.
The rules are designed to help bolster the European car industry and level the playing field against the raft of cheaper models arriving from China. But as is, they threaten Britain’s car industry, as around 60 per cent of the cars produced here are exported to the EU.
At the same time, Nissan and Chery, which also owns the brands Jaecoo, Omoda and Lepas, are working on a deal that could see production of the Chinese giant’s cars beginning in Sunderland as soon as next year.
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