Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Ariya

Nissan X-Trail

nissans-electric-future

Nissan turned up early to the SUV party, with its Qashqai paving the way for the countless models we see today. The Qashqai continues to sell in big numbers in the UK, too, and was also our overall Car of the Year in 2014.

Don’t think Nissan is just about SUVs, though. As well as the Qashqai, the smaller Juke and the larger X-Trail, the Japanese brand has the Micra hatchback, GT-R sports car and Navara pick-up truck.

Nissan was also one of the first big car makers to launch a fully electric car, with its latest Leaf being one of the best on the market.

Despite being based in Japan, Nissan has long committed to building cars in the UK, making several of its best-selling models at a huge factory in Sunderland.

NISSAN

Nissan has announced plans to manufacture 100,000 electric cars a year by 2012, in an attempt to be the first company to mass-produce such vehicles. The company plans to unveil its first electric car later this summer, with the first cars hitting the showroom by next year. Nissan's chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, who also heads sister firm Renault, said both companies had plans to build three different electric vehicles.

The strategy is part of Nissan's attempt to return to profitability after falling global sales resulted in the company making a loss of 233.7 billion yen (£1.5 billion) in the year to March 31. Carlos Ghosnsaid: 'We are the only company working to mass-market electric vehicles and investing for mass marketing - which is a risk, but we think it's a bet in the right direction.' Nissan said it planned to build the electric cars in Japan, Europe and the US.

Nissan has announced plans to manufacture 100,000 electric cars a year by 2012, in an attempt to be the first company to mass-produce such vehicles.

The company plans to unveil its first electric car later this summer, with the first cars hitting the showroom by next year. Nissan's chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, who also heads sister firm Renault, said both companies had plans to build three different electric vehicles. The strategy is part of Nissan's attempt to return to profitability after falling global sales resulted in the company making a loss of 233.7 billion yen (£1.5 billion) in the year to March 31. Carlos Ghosnsaid: 'We are the only company working to mass-market electric vehicles and investing for mass marketing - which is a risk, but we think it's a bet in the right direction.' Nissan said it planned to build the electric cars in Japan, Europe and the US.