Bottom line: the £1 bn Sunderland plant is now live and will fuel up to 210,000 Nissan Leafs each year
Chinese‑owned AESC has finished a massive 10‑storey battery factory next to Nissan’s Sunderland car plant. The £1 billion site can make 15.8 GWh of cells – enough for more than 200,000 Leafs – and it is already supplying the new Leaf crossover.
Sunderland £1 Billion Battery Plant – The New EV Powerhouse
Image: Sunderland £1 Billion Battery Plant – The New EV Powerhouse – Performance Comparison and Specifications
Plant design and clean‑room focus
The old 1.8 GWh building was a modest two‑storey block. The new facility towers ten floors high, houses its own electrode lines, and boasts Europe’s largest clean room where anodes and cathodes are assembled. AESC says the clean room protects cells from moisture and metal particles – the biggest enemies of battery life.
- 10‑storey, 15.8 GWh capacity
- Largest clean room in Europe
- In‑house electrode production (anode & cathode)
- Plans to grow from one to four production lines within months
Production performance and quality control
Quality manager Connor Huntingdon can stop any tanker that does not meet strict purity standards. Tests take 1–2.5 hours, and any material with moisture or metal contamination is rejected. Cells spend eight to nine days in the plant – far longer than a car on the assembly line – to let gases bleed off and reach stable chemistry.
When fully operational, the Sunderland plant will employ over 1,000 people, complementing the 6,000 staff at the neighbouring Nissan factory.
Cost, funding and market impact
The UK government has pledged more than £500 million of the financing, hoping the site becomes the cornerstone of a British EV supply chain. Raw materials still come largely from China, but the plant also supplies know‑how to the upcoming Agratas battery factory in Somerset.
With a capacity to build 210,000 75 kWh packs a year, the Sunderland plant can cover the Leaf and the new Juke EV, leaving room for other OEMs such as Jaguar Land Rover – though AESC has not confirmed any contracts yet.
Nissan Leaf battery snapshot
| Engine | Electric motor (single) |
|---|---|
| Mileage | Up to 226 miles (WLTP) with 75 kWh pack |
| Price | From £30,000 (approx.) |
| Top Features |
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FAQ
How many Nissan Leafs can the Sunderland plant produce each year?
At full capacity the 15.8 GWh plant can supply roughly 210,000 Leaf‑size 75 kWh batteries annually.
Will the new plant reduce EV prices in the UK?
Lower‑cost, locally made batteries should help manufacturers keep vehicle prices competitive, but the final price also depends on taxes, incentives and model choice.
Is the Sunderland battery factory a sign that the UK will become a major EV hub?
The plant, backed by over £500 million of government funding, is a key step toward a domestic battery supply chain, but broader success will require more local sourcing of raw materials and additional factories.
What do you think about the UK’s battery push? Leave a comment below!
Source: Read Official News
