Nissan’s all-new Leaf electric SUV is now rolling off the lines at the transformed Sunderland plant, bringing the brand’s EV36Zero vision to life.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The first Leaf off the line was a two-tone Luminous Teal Evolve grade equipped with a 75kWh battery which offers a range of up to 386 miles (WLTP).

The third-generation Leaf brings major upgrades in aerodynamics, EV range, tech and radical new approaches to practical family transport. It also qualifies for the Government’s full £3,750 Electric Car Grant, bringing pricing down to £32,249 for the 75kWh version.

Nissan has invested £450m to build the new Leaf in Sunderland, representing the start of its EV36Zero vision, which combines EV manufacturing, battery production and renewable energy.

The Sunderland facility has been fully transformed to enable EV manufacturing, with batteries for the Leaf manufactured at a new gigafactory next to the plant. The AESC gigafactory will supply next-generation battery technology with increased energy density to deliver superior range and performance for the new Leaf.

The plant’s transformation has also included major investments in ‘factory of the future’ technology and enabling EV manufacturing on production Line Two for the first time.

The team at Sunderland Plant will follow Leaf with the new all-electric Nissan Juke next year, with both models built on the plant’s production Line Two. It means that Nissan Sunderland now produces vehicles from fully electric to hybrid, including Nissan’s e-Power technology on the Qashqai, and the hybrid and ICE Juke models.

Nissan marked the start of production of the new Leaf with a ceremony next to the production line at Sunderland.

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Sunderland is the beating heart of the UK’s automotive industry, and Nissan’s investment is a major commitment to the North East and a huge vote of confidence in our economy.

“Through this government’s modern Industrial Strategy, we’re delivering £4bn into our world leading auto sector – the biggest investment into the car industry since the post-war era – driving growth, innovation and jobs across the country.”

Adam Pennick, vice president, manufacturing at Nissan Sunderland Plant, said: “Nissan has invested into our state-of-the-art plant to build the EVs of the future and there is huge pride and excitement in our team to be building this brilliant car in Sunderland.

“The skills, expertise and team-work of our people have powered Sunderland’s success, and the transformation of our plant for new Leaf demonstrates our leadership in the journey to electrification.”

The Leaf was first launched in 2010 as an electric hatchback that pioneered mass-market electric vehicles and has been built in Sunderland since 2013, with 282,704 manufactured in total at the plant.

The new version has been heavily reinvented as an electric SUV and built on the CMF-EV modular platform shared with the Nissan Ariya.

Its sleek new design is accompanied by superior performance and range with a WLTP figure of up to 386 miles, plus a fully connected mobility experience with Google built-in and advanced driver assistance technologies. Twin 14.3-inch screens help form a fully digital cockpit, while the NissanConnect Services connectivity app gives remote access to battery checks, climate preparation and journey planning.

Nissan supports 6,000 jobs in Sunderland and 7,000 in total across its UK operations, including NTCE and its Design Centre in Paddington, London. The company also supports an estimated 30,000 jobs in its wider UK supply chain.

The Nissan Leaf is available to order now and starts first deliveries in February.