David Cameron has praised Nissan’s production of their new 100% Electric car, the Nissan LEAF, at its Sunderland plant. The Japanese company has invested £420million in the production of the car, which will support 2,000 jobs in the UK’s automotive industry.
The LEAF has received over 100 updates since it first hit the road over two years ago and it has sold over 50,000 models worldwide.
The Prime Minister gave a speech at the plant praising Nissan's work within the community;
"This plant, all of the people who work here, the cars being produced behind me, are the best possible rebuke to those who say in Britain we don’t design things any more, we don’t make things any more. You have shown here at Nissan in Sunderland that we can and we can do it brilliantly”.
"The LEAF is the most technically advanced car yet from @NissanUK" #nissanleaf @arnoldclark
Cameron was given a tour of the factory and shown a Nissan LEAF cut in half to display how it works inside. Mr Cameron said:
“It’s a great day for Nissan in Sunderland, you are the most efficient car plant in Europe and you are one of the most efficient car plants in the world. It’s also a great day for our country. You have produced over seven million cars. It’s an incredible record, which you can be very proud of. And the whole country can be proud too.”
David Cameron also got the chance to take part in a traditional Japanese ceremony, when he coloured in the eye of a Daruma doll, which late former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had done when the plant first opened in 1986. Since then the plant has went on to produce over seven million cars.
Nissan’s executive vice president Andy Palmer said:
"The launch of the @NissanLeafUK is a huge boost for british manufacturing" #nissanleaf @arnoldclark
“The Nissan LEAF is our most technically advanced car yet and the launch of this new model, built along with its batteries in Sunderland, is a huge boost not only for the plant but for British manufacturing.”