Nissan ready to increase US Leaf production, if the sales are there

Another month of robust Leaf sales could spur Nissan to boost production of its all-electric vehicle at its Tennessee factory by a third, Automotive News says, citing Nissan North American factory chief Bill Krueger. Nissan moved US Leaf production to Tennessee from Japan earlier this year and the proposed increase would add a third production shift for the EV. It could also add a second production shift at the nearby lithium-ion battery production facility. The decision may come as soon as next month.

In January, Nissan cut the base price of the Leaf by $6,400 to $28,800 ahead of the production switchover. US customers responded and last month’s US Leaf sales were almost five times higher than a year earlier, up to 1,864 units, an bringing the year-to-date total to 11,703 vehicles. The Leaf’s 2013 sales overtook the full-year 2012 totals in late June.

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