Nissan accelerates electric transition plans

Feb 28 (NHK) - Nissan Motor is planning to speed up its rollout of electric cars in some of its biggest markets. The Japanese automaker says it now expects hybrid and fully electric vehicles to make up 98 percent of its European sales by fiscal 2026.

The new target is a big increase from the firm's previous goal of 75 percent. The shift is a reflection of Europe's strict emissions regulations.

Nissan also plans to boost its EV output in Japan. It says electrified vehicles will now account for 58 percent of sales in its home market. That's up from its previous target of 55 percent.

Globally, it plans to raise the target from 40 percent to more than 44 percent.

The company says that by fiscal 2030, it wants to have 27 electrified models in its line-up. Nineteen of those will be EVs.

The automaker will also assign around 4,000 employees to work on software for self-driving technology. It will aim to have that ready for market by 2025.

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