Renault-Nissan announces location of lithium battery plant in Portugal

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Nissan, Renault

Renault and Nissan made it known many months ago that they intended to build lithium ion battery plants in Europe to supply all of the electric vehicles that they will be introducing in the next several years. The first battery plant will be going to Portugal and will be located at an existing Renault complex 155 miles north of Lisbon. The plant will have an initial capacity of supplying packs for 50,000 vehicles a year from 2012.

The alliance partners will spend €160 Million on the battery plant and create 200 new jobs. The automakers will start supplying electric vehicles in Portugal in early 2011 and the government there will install a network of 1,300 public charging stations. Construction of the facility will start in mid-2010. This marks the third location for Renault-Nissan battery production; the others are in Japan and Smyrna, Tennessee. No launch date for U.S. construction or production has been announced.

Gallery: 2010 Nissan LEAF