The world will get a third factory to build the Nissan Leaf, the first mass-produced electric car. After Japan and the US, this new factory is in Europe, in the UK. That is Sunderland, the largest car factory in the UK. Today, Sunderland manufactures the Qashqai, it will start building the Juke this summer, and it shall begin producing the Leaf in 2013.

This, after the Oppama plant, in Japan, which will start Leaf production this year, and after the Smyrna plant (Tennessee) that will begin production in 2012. So Asia, America and Europe! You couldn’t find a more international car than the Leaf anywhere! But let’s talk about capacity. This is what matters. Every manufacturer talks electric cars, and has been showing concepts, but besides Nissan, nobody’s talking about factories. Not even Tesla for its upcoming sedan, the Model S. Are they expecting their forthcoming electric models to grow on trees? It takes time to set up a factory for a particular model. As we don’t see any other manufacturer making moves, Nissan can be pretty confident it will be the electric car leader for many years…