Jatco's transmissions operation, its first in Europe, will produce 340,000 electric power-trains a year for Nissan models. Mr Johnson said: "Localising our supply chain boosts our competitiveness and efficiency. It's another step forward in creating an EV manufacturing system in the North East of England." Kim McGuinness, the Mayor of North East England, said the site had always been earmarked for the automotive industry before Covid intervened, and said Jatco's plans represented "a fantastic transformation and a vote of confidence in carmaking in Sunderland".