Nissan celebrates 2 years of LEAF sales with U.S. battery plant announcement

Nissan is celebrating two years of LEAF electric-cars sales with the announcement that it has launched the United State’s largest lithium-ion automotive battery plant in Smyrna, Tenn.

The Tennessee facility is one of the three of its kind in the world that is operated by a major automaker. The plant is making battery components for the ramp-up of production of the 2013 Nissan LEAF early next year.

“Opening this U.S. plant is an important milestone in Nissan’s overarching strategy to foster sustainable mobility around the world,” said Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Co. “Nissan is the zero-emissions vehicle leader, and we are making significant strides as one of the largest producers of electric vehicles and batteries in the United States. The opening of this facility in Tennessee supports our goal of making zero-emissions mobility a reality through American jobs and American manufacturing.”

Nissan said that since Dec. 2010, it has delivered more than 18,000 LEAF units to U.S. customers and more than 46,000 units worldwide – that apparently makes the LEAF the most successful 100 percent electric-vehicle in history.

– By: Omar Rana