85 Percent of Nissans Sold in America Will Be Built in America by 2015
With the yen continuing to rise, Japanese automakers have been working hard to shift production over to North America. Nissan is no exception, currently producing about 67-percent of its Infiniti and Nissan models in America (that are sold in America), but hopes to increase that figure to 85-percent by 2015.
The statistic is according to Carla Bailo, senior vice president of research and development for Nissan Americas. By shifting more production of its models to North America, the Japanese automaker hopes to capture more global market share along with its operating profits. Currently Nissan is the market leader in Mexico with 25-percent share, and has seen its market share increase in Brazil to 25-percent recently. In the U.S., Nissan currently holds a record 8.2-percent of the market.
Its investments in the Americas and Brazil will create 9,000 jobs and will boost total capacity by 425,000 vehicles. Along with the increase in vehicle production, Nissan will also benefit from 250,000 more engines and 200,000 more lithium-ion battery packs. It is estimated to cost the automaker $5.2 billion.
“We need to mitigate the effect of the yen and increase capacity across North America,” Bailo said. “All our core models are made here, which is vital.”
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation