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http://www.dnj.com/article/20100523/BUSINESS/5230324/1088/Battery+plant+to+break+ground
Text:
Nissan will take a major step toward its future when it breaks ground this week on a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Smyrna for its new Leaf electric car.
State and local officials have been invited to a Wednesday dedication ceremony, with Gov. Phil Bredesen slated to give remarks at 9 a.m.
"We're excited about this," said Steve Parrett, manager of manufacturing communications for Nissan. "This is a major step to bringing mass market zero emission vehicles in this country."
The battery plant will support the assembly of the Nissan Leaf that will be built at the Smyrna plant in late 2012. The Leaf is the first in a range of forthcoming Nissan electric vehicles being heralded as the world's first affordable, mass produced zero emission car.
The Department of Energy officially awarded a $1.4 billion loan in January to Nissan North America to expand production in Smyrna.
Nissan awarded the architectural and engineering design services contract for the plant to Albert Kahn of Detroit, Mich., in January, and selected W.G. Yates of Philadelphia, Miss., as the plant's general contractor.
Modification of the Smyrna manufacturing plant, which will begin later this year, includes the new battery plant and changes in the existing structure for electric-vehicle assembly.
When fully operational, the vehicle assembly plant will have the capacity to build 150,000 electric cars per year, and the new plant will have the annual capacity of 200,000 batteries. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility at full capacity will employ up to 1,300 people.
The lithium-ion battery, which stores 24 kilowatt-hours of energy, is the most expensive component of the Leaf, according to Bloomberg News. Nissan is introducing the Leaf in response to government emissions rules and potentially higher oil prices, among other reasons.
The Leaf will retail for $32,780, minus a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Construction of the new battery plant and improvements to the existing infrastructure will also create 500 construction jobs over two years and 150-250 support jobs.
Text:
Nissan will take a major step toward its future when it breaks ground this week on a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Smyrna for its new Leaf electric car.
State and local officials have been invited to a Wednesday dedication ceremony, with Gov. Phil Bredesen slated to give remarks at 9 a.m.
"We're excited about this," said Steve Parrett, manager of manufacturing communications for Nissan. "This is a major step to bringing mass market zero emission vehicles in this country."
The battery plant will support the assembly of the Nissan Leaf that will be built at the Smyrna plant in late 2012. The Leaf is the first in a range of forthcoming Nissan electric vehicles being heralded as the world's first affordable, mass produced zero emission car.
The Department of Energy officially awarded a $1.4 billion loan in January to Nissan North America to expand production in Smyrna.
Nissan awarded the architectural and engineering design services contract for the plant to Albert Kahn of Detroit, Mich., in January, and selected W.G. Yates of Philadelphia, Miss., as the plant's general contractor.
Modification of the Smyrna manufacturing plant, which will begin later this year, includes the new battery plant and changes in the existing structure for electric-vehicle assembly.
When fully operational, the vehicle assembly plant will have the capacity to build 150,000 electric cars per year, and the new plant will have the annual capacity of 200,000 batteries. The 1.3 million-square-foot facility at full capacity will employ up to 1,300 people.
The lithium-ion battery, which stores 24 kilowatt-hours of energy, is the most expensive component of the Leaf, according to Bloomberg News. Nissan is introducing the Leaf in response to government emissions rules and potentially higher oil prices, among other reasons.
The Leaf will retail for $32,780, minus a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Construction of the new battery plant and improvements to the existing infrastructure will also create 500 construction jobs over two years and 150-250 support jobs.
