Nissan scraps small crossover EV production plans in the US

According to Automotive News, the Japanese car manufacturer, which is currently exploring a possible merger with Honda, has informed suppliers of the upcoming move. Nissan has now confirmed at least the first part of these media reports. According to Nissan spokesperson Brian Brockman, the automaker will focus on other electric vehicle projects in the US, namely models that will likely sell better there. “We will continue to evaluate market opportunities for new models and make adjustments accordingly,” Brockman said.

Nissan announced its intention to build a compact electric crossover in Canton in May 2024. The model, internally referred to as the PZ1L, is said to sit between the discontinued Nissan Leaf (a successor is due to launch this year) and the Nissan Rogue combustion-powered SUV, which is only available in North America. The PZ1L was one of five Nissan and Infiniti brand models to be built in Canton from the middle of the decade. However, according to media reports, Nissan later decided to cancel a planned investment of 500 million dollars for the production of new electric car models at the underutilised plant.

Like other car manufacturers, Nissan is keeping a close eye on the political upheaval in the US. The new US President, Donald Trump, took several steps against the uptake of electric cars as soon as he took office. For example, Trump cancelled his predecessor Joe Biden’s goal of half of new cars being electric by 2030 and blocked funding for charging stations. Trump also wants to look into scrapping electric vehicle tax credits and not allow states to make exemptions with stricter climate protection requirements. All of this will likely make it much more difficult for car manufacturers to sell electric cars in the US.

autonews.com (paywall) via finance.yahoo.com