In the present context, keeping up with demand is one of the bigger challenges facing automakers. With the advent of all-electric models and with demand growing quickly, the challenge to churn out enough volume has never been bigger.
With that in mind, Nissan is considering adding a new plant in the United States specifically to meet the growing demand for electric models. At least that's what a senior company executive told reporters Friday at the company's offices in Yokohama, Japan.
“It may not be a surprise that we go for a third plant,” said company COO Ashwani Gupta.
Nissan currently operates two plants in the U.S. - one in Canton, Mississippi, the other in Smyrna, Tennessee. The first assembles the Altima sedan, while the second manufactures the LEAF and Pathfinder, among others. Both employ thousands of workers and together they have assembled millions of vehicles for Nissan since their inception.
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As for the third plant in the company's sights, it's not clear what form it will take. It could be completely independent of the other two, or it could be attached to one of them. Of course, this would add thousands of jobs, but for now this is still a long-term project.
There are several things that need to be analyzed, if one takes the time to read between the lines of Gupta's declarations. According to him, the importance of where certain models are assembled will increase from year to year. Depending on the region, there may be incentives in place for the sale of electric vehicles, which may influence where they are assembled. The exchange rate may also make local production more desirable.
Of course, we'll have to take time to see what happens at Nissan over the next few years, especially with the arrival of other new electric models. The first in line is the Ariya SUV, which we'll have a chance to test later this year.