TOKYO (Reuters) -Nissan Motor Co Ltd on Monday lifted its targets for sales of electrified cars and said it would build a second U.S. battery plant, as the automaker looks to catch up in an industry increasingly dominated by newer players such as Tesla.
Nissan, although a pioneer in electric vehicles with its battery-powered Leaf, has struggled – like many legacy automakers – in the face of increasing competition from Tesla and other newer entrants.
Nissan now aims to have electrified vehicles – which include its advanced hybrid e-power cars – to make up more than 55% of its global sales by fiscal 2030, from a previous forecast of 50%, it said.
It plans 27 new electrified vehicles by that year, with 19 of those battery EVs, it said in a statement. Previously it had forecast 23 electrified vehicles and 15 EVs.
The company also plans to establish a second battery plant in the United States to help it meet requirements for the Inflation Reduction Act, Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta said on Monday.
(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by David Dolan and Jacqueline Wong)
