Just months after selling its Japan-based electric vehicles batteries business to China, Nissan is in talks with Thailand’s government about starting battery production there, BBB has confirmed.
Nissan regional senior vice-president Yutaka Sanada said during a Nissan conference in Thailand the country’s military government is “keen to support investment” in batteries and EV production, a Nissan spokesperson said.
“As part of on going conversations with various governments, we can confirm that production of EVs and batteries in the Asia and Oceania region is one of the discussion topics,” the spokesperson said. However, the spokesperson declined to give details.
In Thailand, the government is working on plans to promote all aspects of the EV industry, including incentives for manufacturing by the private sector. Industry minister Uttama Savanayana said last year that the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor, which covers three provinces, was set to become a production centre for the EV industry and a “showcase” for Thai industry.
The Thai government also committed to an investment of $4.1 billion to support the development of the domestic EV industry.
Last month, Nissan launched a second-life EV battery storage venture, Nissan Energy Solar, targeting UK homes. The business offers a solar plus storage system jointly developed with Eaton, combining used lithium-ion battery modules from Nissan’s LEAF electric vehicles with Eaton’s power management technology.
