While overall EV sales globally are skyrocketing, and has done for a while, the US remains a big exception. Due to the expiration of a tax rebate, and what is perceived as too high entry prices, companies are reversing on their EV plans in the US market, amongst them being Nissan.
According to Automotive News, the Japanese brand has scrapped plans to build two electric vehicles at its Canton, Mississippi plant, despite previously committing around $500 million to turn it into an EV production hub. Instead, that factory will now pivot hard in the opposite direction: body-on-frame trucks and SUV's.
And it would seem that Nissan are going all in on rugged models too, lining up a whole range of models, including a revived Xterra, a new-generation Frontier pickup and a three-row SUV with a more off-road focus. Nissan says the move reflects "market conditions, customer demand and updated strategy".
This comes as it was revealed, that the Canton plant is currently underused, producing far fewer cars than it's capable of.