Overview
- Reuters reported Tuesday that Nissan has stopped work on a fully electric Qashqai, a project sources say was frozen in early 2025.
- The Qashqai accounted for roughly 45% of Nissan's European sales in 2025, making the pause commercially significant for the region.
- Nissan says it remains committed to an 'electrified' lineup but is prioritising hybrids and selective EVs because of weak and volatile EV demand in Europe.
- The company has scrapped a planned JATCO powertrain factory, signed a study pact with Chery to use one Sunderland line, and is in talks with the UK on conditional financial support tied to production and jobs.
- Analysts and sources warn that if Nissan restarts the Qashqai EV programme it would likely not reach the market until the early 2030s, shifting future competition and investment needs for Sunderland workers and suppliers.