Nissan to Trim 900 European Jobs While Opening Sunderland Line to Chery

Nissan announced a workforce reduction that will affect 900 positions across its European operations. The cuts are part of the RE:Nissan recovery plan aimed at creating a leaner, more resilient business. The company said it has begun talks with employee representatives to simplify structures and ensure sustainable profitability.

Nissan will consolidate two Sunderland production lines that currently build the Leaf, Juke and Qashqai models into a single line to assess future plant utilisation. The consolidation itself will not cause job losses, but the broader 900‑job reduction includes a small number of UK‑based office roles. Nissan confirmed it is in talks with Chinese automaker Chery about using the Sunderland plant for its own vehicle assembly.

By freeing one line, Nissan can address underutilisation at Sunderland while exploring a partnership that could bring Chery’s production to the UK. Chery, which has sold vehicles in the UK since late 2024 and is preparing to assemble cars at a former Nissan site in Barcelona, sees the Sunderland facility as a potential manufacturing base. The arrangement could help both companies manage capacity and expand market presence.