Nissan will stop the Note production at Sunderland from 2017
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Nissan will stop the Note production at Sunderland from 2017
- While the future production of 100,000 Nissan Juke on the Sunderland UK site is not at all guaranteed (see Inovev’s analysis "Nissan unveils a new B-segment SUV: the Kicks"), the Japanese carmaker has announced it would stop producing the Note on this site from spring 2017.
- The production of the first generation of the Note (a B-segment MPV) started in Sunderland in 2006.
The second generation was launched in 2013 but its sales have strongly declined.
Consequently its production declined gradually from 107 000 units in 2006, down to to 40 000 units in 2016.
This compact van has certainly suffered from a fierce competition from compact SUVs that were developed from the 2010s.
The second generation was launched in 2013 but its sales have strongly declined.
Consequently its production declined gradually from 107 000 units in 2006, down to to 40 000 units in 2016.
This compact van has certainly suffered from a fierce competition from compact SUVs that were developed from the 2010s.
- The Note is also manufactured in Japan (for Asian markets) and Mexico (for US markets).
It is therefore quite possible that the Note continues to be sold in Europe, this time coming from the Mexico plant in the same way as Honda HRV which is also produced in Mexico and whose European sales are very close to the Nissan Note’s in Europe (25 000 units and 28,000 units respectively, on the cumulative nine months 2016).
It is therefore quite possible that the Note continues to be sold in Europe, this time coming from the Mexico plant in the same way as Honda HRV which is also produced in Mexico and whose European sales are very close to the Nissan Note’s in Europe (25 000 units and 28,000 units respectively, on the cumulative nine months 2016).
- The production of the Note in Mexico has also declined: from 90 000 units in 2014 down to 70 000 in 2015 and 50,000 in 2016.
- The transfer of European production of the Note to Mexico could improve the situation of the Mexican site.
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Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
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Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
- The Ford group produced its last car in Australia on October 7, 2016. The carmaker announced three years ago it would stop producing cars in its Australian plants, officially considered unprofitable.
- This judgment follows that made by Mitsubishi in 2008, a year ahead of those that will be made by General-Motors (Holden) and Toyota which also decided to permanently stop their production in Australia.
- The Australian market (about 1 million vehicles per year) will be from 2018 entirely supplied by imports, mainly from Asia, South Africa, North America and Europe.
- A quarter century later, the Australian automobile production has ended up following the same path as that of New Zealand, neighbouring country of Australia, which gave up its car industry in the early 90s.
- Ford created its first automobile plant in Australia in 1925. The most iconic and best-selling model was the D/E-segment sedan Falcon launched in 1960 and whose generations succeeded until 2016. This was the last model manufactured by the brand in Australia, alongside the Territory (2004-2016), a compact SUV based on the Falcon, which has been for ten years the best-selling SUV in the Australian market.
- After the closure of Ford, GM and Toyota plants, the Australian market could see a total reshuffle of cards at the brand level.
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Read more... Ford has definitively stopped its production in Australia
Will the PSA Poissy plant survive from the departure of Citroen C3?
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Will the PSA Poissy plant survive from the departure of Citroen C3?
- The transfer of the production of the Citroën C3 from the French Poissy plant to the Slovak Trnava plant is being set up and will halve the activity of the Poissy plant located in the Paris region.
- Into the 240 000 vehicles that will be produced on the Poissy site in 2016, half of them (about 120,000 vehicles) are older generation Citroën C3.
- The other half (120 000 units) includes the DS 3 (ex-Citroen DS3), and Peugeot 208 which is also already largely manufactured in the Trnava plant. PSA’s plan is to produce all next generation (2019) Peugeot 208 in Trnava.
- What will be then left on the Poissy site?
The DS 3 and its successor (available in three- and five-door variants) and probably an SUV version of the DS 3 currently under study.
The DS 3 and its successor (available in three- and five-door variants) and probably an SUV version of the DS 3 currently under study.
- Inovev does not see at this moment other possible production.
Taking into account this assumption, The Poissy plant would operate with a production capacity of 125,000 units per year, against 250,000 units per year currently. While the Poissy plant will work almost 100% capacity in the coming year,
the capacities will be halved from 2017 compared to today.
Taking into account this assumption, The Poissy plant would operate with a production capacity of 125,000 units per year, against 250,000 units per year currently. While the Poissy plant will work almost 100% capacity in the coming year,
the capacities will be halved from 2017 compared to today.
- With 125,000 units produced per year with one product model, can the Poissy plant remain viable and competitive in the future?
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The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
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The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
- The Toyota group has become the largest manufacturer of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), far ahead of its competitors.
Since 2012, over one million units are produced annually in its plants. Toyota has sold 9.5 million hybrid vehicles in total since the launch of the first generation Prius in 1997.
Since 2012, over one million units are produced annually in its plants. Toyota has sold 9.5 million hybrid vehicles in total since the launch of the first generation Prius in 1997.
- The Hyundai-Kia group wants to enter this HEV market currently dominated by few players, in order to meet in an easier way anti-pollution standards in the various world regions. In order to attain the new environmental constraints the Korean group Hyundai-Kia, in the same way as the Japanese Toyota group, will launch several models specifically designed as HEV, as well as hybrid models derived from thermal models.
- Two hybrid models built on the same platform were launched in 2016, the Hyundai Ioniq (C-segment sedan) and Kia Niro (C-segment SUV). They share the same 1.6l 105hp petrol engine and the same44hp electric motor (149hp in total) and will soon be available in plug-in version (like the Toyota Prius, and also like the Kia Optima which is equipped with a 2.0l150hp petrol engine).
- Both models will be followed by other hybrid models over the coming years as Hyundai-Kia plans to market 25 different hybrid models by 2020.
- Hyundai-Kia sold 62,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide in 2015 (43,000 Hyundai and 19,000 Kia). In 2016, this figure is expected to approach 100,000 units. The group aims to sell 300,000 hybrid vehicles a year, compared with 1.4 million units expected by Toyota.
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Read more... The hybrid Hyundai Ioniq and Kia Niro challenge the hybrid Toyota
The Smart Fortwo and Forfour are now available in an electric version
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The Smart Fortwo and Forfour are now available in an electric version
- Launched on the world market in autumn 2012, the former Electric Drive (ED) Smart Fortwo stopped being produced in the first half 2016 (700 units have been sold this year worldwide).
- The new generation of the ED Smart Fortwo and ED Smart Forfour were presented at the Paris Motor Show 2016.
- The ED Smart Fortwo combines the body of the Smart Fortwo, launched in 2014 and the engine of the Renault Zoe.
The ED Smart Forfour also uses the body of the Smart Forfour launched in 2014 and the engine of the Renault Zoe.
The electric versions of Fortwo and Forfour therefore benefits from the cooperation agreement concluded in 2010 between Renault-Nissan and Daimler.
The ED Smart Forfour also uses the body of the Smart Forfour launched in 2014 and the engine of the Renault Zoe.
The electric versions of Fortwo and Forfour therefore benefits from the cooperation agreement concluded in 2010 between Renault-Nissan and Daimler.
- The two main target markets are the United States (launch planned at the end of 2016) and Europe (launch in early 2017). Smart expects a proportion of 25% of electric car sales for the Fortwo and Forfour (i.e. 40,000 sales per year for all two models).
- The Smart ED Fortwo is produced in Hambach in France and the Smart ED Forfour in Novo Mesto in Slovenia, while the electric motor (R240) common to both models is made on the Renault Cleon site. Renault Twingo, twin sister of the Smart Forfour, could benefit from this engine around 2018-2019.
- The battery is produced by a subsidiary of Daimler, Deutsche Accumotive.
It would enable an autonomy of 150km (against 120km for the previous generation).
It would enable an autonomy of 150km (against 120km for the previous generation).
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Read more... The Smart Fortwo and Forfour are now available in an electric version
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