Nissan Motor Co. plans to build electric vehicles at its plant in Smyrna, Tenn., to gear for mass-production of its core environmentally friendly cars, Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said Tuesday.
Japan's third-largest carmaker plans to start assembling batteries and cars there by the business year ending in March 2013 with annual production capacity exceeding 100,000 units, he said.
Nissan, 44 percent owned by Renault SA, aims to tap low-interest loans planned by the U.S. government for environmentally friendly cars. Initial targeted customers include city officials such as mayors, and corporations.