Nissan has stopped active work on a fully electric variant of its best-selling European model, the Qashqai, according to six people with direct knowledge of the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity. The pause forms part of a wider effort by the Japanese automaker to pare back its lineup and reduce costs.
Company plans to develop an all-electric Qashqai - originally intended to be built at its Sunderland plant in Britain - have been put on hold. Sources said development was halted early last year. While shelving the project cuts near-term spending, two sources warned that if Nissan restarts the program it would not be able to deliver the EV to market until the early 2030s, leaving the model behind competitors in a key segment.
In 2023 Nissan had publicly committed to producing an electric Qashqai at Sunderland, the largest car plant in Britain, a step at the time framed as reinforcing the country’s role in EV manufacturing. The company did not attach a specific timeline to the announcement then. Since making that commitment, Nissan has undertaken a major global restructuring and entered talks with UK authorities about securing financial support for an updated roadmap for the Sunderland plant that is expected in the coming months. Those discussions are linked to the plant’s future model mix and investment plans.
The Sunderland facility already assembles the electric Leaf and in April the company unveiled an electric Juke crossover that is slated for production at the site. Nissan said it remains committed to expanding its "electrified" range, which includes hybrid models, and pointed to significant volatility in European EV demand as it pursues what it described as a balanced electrification strategy. A UK government spokesperson declined to comment on Nissan’s commercial decisions.
Market position and sales mix
Nissan currently sells the Qashqai in petrol and hybrid forms. The model accounted for approximately 45% of Nissan’s total European sales of 330,000 cars in 2025, according to company sales data analysed by Reuters. The strong contribution of the Qashqai to Nissan’s European volumes underlines why any change to the model’s roadmap has material implications for production planning and revenue in the region.
Any UK financial support for Nissan will be contingent on commitments to build new models or variants and to protect jobs at Sunderland, which employs about 6,000 people in England’s industrial northeast, sources have said. As part of broader plant planning discussions, Nissan this month signed an agreement with Chinese automaker Chery to study manufacturing Chery’s vehicles using one of Sunderland’s two production lines.
Regulatory and competitive pressures
The decision to pause the Qashqai EV also comes as European markets see intensified competition from traditional rivals and a growing number of lower-cost Chinese entrants. Against this background, Britain is consulting carmakers on proposals to relax rules that require them to meet specific EV sales targets or face fines. Sources said such changes would afford Nissan greater scope to produce additional hybrid models at Sunderland.
The Sunderland plant produced more than 35% of all cars made in Britain last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). At the same time, proposals for new European Union rules setting local content requirements for EVs have clouded the outlook for manufacturing such vehicles in Britain since the country left the EU in 2020. Around 60% of cars produced in Britain are exported to the EU, and the SMMT has warned that being excluded from a "Made in EU" designation could pose a threat to Britain’s car industry.
Broader model strategy and supply-chain impacts
The shelving of the Qashqai EV is part of a wider reassessment of Nissan’s EV plans and global line-up. Earlier this year Nissan confirmed it had shelved plans to produce two electric SUVs at its Canton, Mississippi plant in favour of concentrating on hybrid models. The company has said it will reduce its global range to 45 models from 56.
Uncertainty over investment and model choices is already affecting Nissan’s supply chain. Plans to build a three-in-one electric vehicle powertrain at a Sunderland factory run by Nissan subsidiary JATCO were scrapped, the companies said in statements. That cancellation reflects a wider pullback from previously announced EV-specific investments while Nissan rethinks where to prioritise resources.
Outlook
For now Nissan has not provided a detailed timeline for when, or if, work on a fully electric Qashqai will resume. The company emphasises its commitment to an electrified portfolio that includes hybrids and points to fluctuating EV demand in Europe as a rationale for a more measured approach. Stakeholders in Britain are awaiting the updated Sunderland roadmap that is expected in the coming months, which will clarify any commitments tied to jobs, local production and new model plans.
Until Nissan publishes further details, the fate of the Qashqai EV and the timing of any future launch remain uncertain. The pause affects vehicle production planning at Sunderland, investment expectations for local suppliers, and the competitive dynamics of the compact SUV EV market in Europe.