The electrification of U.S. car plants took another step February 17, as Nissan Motor Co. announced it would spend $500 million to remodel a Mississippi assembly plant to produce two new electric vehicle models.
The Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant remodeling, Nissan says, will involve upskilling almost 2,000 jobs at the 5,000-employee plant. The renovations are expected to become operational by 2025.
In a statement, Ashwani Gupta, COO of Nissan Motor Corp. Ltd.,. said today’s announcement is “the first of several new investments” for U.S.-built electric vehicles. Nissan has stated it plans to offer at least 23 “electrified” Nissan and Infiniti model vehicles and 15 all-electric vehicles by 2030, and that it wants 40% of its U.S. vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2030.
“Nissan is making a strong investment in Canton’s future, bringing the latest technology, training and process to create a truly best-in-class EV manufacturing team,” said Gupta.
Though Nissan didn’t reveal the names of the two new fully-electric cars produced, one will carry the Infiniti brand name. Canton currently builds four Nissan vehicles: the Altima, Frontier, Titan and Titan XD.
In a statement, Mississippi governor Tate Reeves alluded to Canton Vehicle Assembly’s legacy in the state. “For nearly two decades, Mississippians have kept our state at the forefront of the world’s automotive industry,” said Reeves. Nissan’s Canton plant has been operational for 18 years.
“The announcement that Nissan Canton is shifting some production to EVs further positions Mississippi as a leader in this crucial economic sector. We are a top state for automotive leaders, and this significant investment by Nissan in the Canton facility lets the world know we are open for business,” Reeves said.
