Buyer 2 - Powertrain Project Management

Nissan is bringing the Kicks crossover to Europe, to make it in the UK. Japanese carmaker Nissan is expanding the production capacity of its Sunderland facility in the UK to handle the production of the local Kicks. Published: 16 Sep 2026, 06:19 UTC - By: Photo: Nissan On the market for a decade now, and presently in its second generation, the Kicks crossover sells with quite the aplomb in a number of countries, including the U.S. Globally, this model has sold no less than 1.8 million units since its introduction. For the markets it is present in, the model is being manufactured in three countries on three continents: Japan, Mexico and Brazil. But the Kicks is now coming to Europe, and for the roads there it will be manufactured locally. The Japanese carmaker said this week it will be investing £170 million (some $230 million) in its Sunderland facility, the place where it presently manufactures the Qashqai, Juke, and Leaf, to adapt it for the requirements of the newcomer. The compact B-segment crossover will roll off the lines at an unspecified date, and it will do so carrying the same technology it uses elsewhere, including the newest version of the e-Power hybrid technology, which is already deployed in the newest iteration of the Qashqai. Now in its third generation (it launched last year), the e-Power tech bundles together a newly developed 5-in-1 electric drivetrain that includes, in a single piece of hardware, the motor, generator, inverter, reducer, and increaser. This electric component is aided by a conventional, internal combustion 1.4-liter engine. What makes Nissan's hybrid tech special is that it kind of works in reverse from a conventional setup. Instead of the electric component kicking in when needed to support the ICE, it is the engine that, instead of spinning the wheels, generates power for the SUV's on-board battery. The specifics of the drivetrain for the European market have not yet been announced, but Nissan promises better fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared to what came before. As the Sunderland facility celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the Kicks is about to become the tenth model made there, following the Bluebird, Primera, Micra, Almera, Note, Infiniti Q30, Juke, Qashqai and Leaf. In the decades that have passed since its establishment, the site has grown into the largest car manufacturing facility in the UK, and it has rolled off its lines a total of 12 million vehicles - the equivalent of one car every 1 minute 45 seconds, says Nissan without a trace of modesty. But the 11th and 12th models are already on the way. Come next year, the facility will also start rolling out the third-generation Juke, which will completely switch to an electric drivetrain. Then, at a time that's yet to be announced, something called the Pixo will join the production roster. Reviving a name from the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Pixo is an all-electric small city car playing in the A-segment whose details and appearance will be presented in full later this month. Liked the article? Follow Autoevolution to see more articles from autoevolution in your Google feeds.

Fortune Global 500 executives discuss new drivers of growth in Guangzhou. The 2026 Fortune Global 500 Forum was held in Guangzhou on September 16. The forum brought together executives from major global companies, investors and leading research institutions to discuss new drivers of growth. This year's Fortune Global 500 companies generated US$43.1 trillion in combined revenue and US$3.39 trillion in net profit in 2025, both record highs. Amazon topped the ranking for the first time, while 38 high-tech companies made the list. The sector's profits increased by 21 percent, the highest growth rate among the 20 industries represented in the ranking. AI moves from tool to workforce Artificial intelligence was a core theme at the forum. Economists examined how geopolitical shifts, technological change and evolving consumer demand are reshaping the global economy. Rob Chu, Vice President of Amazon, said AI is moving beyond its role as a tool. "AI is no longer just a tool. It is becoming a digital employee of the future," he said. He added that AI could emerge as a major driver of productivity, working alongside people to create value for businesses. Speakers also highlighted the need for appropriate regulation and safeguards as AI becomes increasingly embedded in business operations and consumer markets. China as a growth and innovation base For multinational companies, China remains both a major market and a testing ground for new products and technologies. Haryono Lim, President and Chairman of BASF Greater China, said China accounts for nearly 14 percent of BASF's global sales and continues to offer significant room for growth. BASF's integrated production site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, he said, is helping the company produce more competitive and sustainable products, including 100-percent use of renewable energy at the site. Isao Sekiguchi, Corporate Executive of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., said Nissan's cooperation with Chinese partners, including Huawei, CATL and Momenta, has helped the company develop vehicles that are competitive in both price and quality while bringing them to market faster. He noted that, as a company witnessing China's rapid technological transformation, Nissan sees innovations developed in China can increasingly travel "from China to global markets." Renee Wang, President of ZF China, described China as the company's "gym." "If we succeed in training here, we will certainly be more competitive globally," she said. She added that supply chains built in and around China could also create opportunities for the company's operations in Europe and North America. The discussions also covered the energy transition, life sciences, strategic industries, the spending power of younger consumers and the expansion of services. Reporter | Dai Bosi Photo | Fortune Global 500 Forum

AdventureEXP creates work programs across four continents. September 10, 2026 ROSH HASHANAH 5787 SECTION D, PAGE 17 Adam Salzman's AdventureEXP differs from the Peace Corps Adam Salzman, a Coloradan for the last nine years, previously had a great career working in corporate finance for Nissan in Nashville, Tenn. A nice job, but for Salzman, not fulfilling enough. An Akron, Ohio native who majored in international business and finance at Ohio University, Salzman had studied abroad in China and taught English as a 19-year-old. Salzman leaned into that experience as he started chasing what he hoped would be his lasting imprint on others. "I liked working in the corporate environment, having an abundance of resources, of capital, of human resources and of technology impact," says Salzman, "and it definitely caused me to think big. "At the same time, being early in my career in the corporate world, it just wasn't the impact I wanted to make. I wasn't interested in climbing the corporate ladder. I really want to dent the universe." Salzman left Nissan to work with an organization that brought international students into the US for seasonal jobs and internships. Six years ago, he founded AdventureEXP, which creates work programs for young people, helping them gain independent living skills and work experience by doing seasonal work across four countries - the US, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. "My mission is to help young people gain more confidence and clarity and compassion and transition into adulthood in a more meaningful way," Salzman says. "I always thought that mission should include travel, because that's what travel did for me. And so I transitioned from this corporate connection into something more rooted in my passion. Since that didn't exist, I decided to create it for myself. "The program came with the thought that there should be something for Americans to be able to travel within their own country in a way that is actually affordable." This program is different from the likes of the Peace Corps, which usually operates in underdeveloped parts of the world and attracts volunteers to serve in the organization for humanitarian causes. EXP links young people and college students with short-term jobs and appealing destinations. "This is what has now turned into adventure," says Salzman. "EXPs destination work programs are what we call cost positive, which essentially just means relative to the cost of traveling students actually make money on the experience." Students are exclusively from the US or those who have dual citizenship from other countries. They can choose to work elsewhere in the US or work in New Zealand, Australia or Ireland. Salzman has received requests from students from the UK, Singapore and Greece to work in various programs throughout the US and abroad. "The whole idea is that we're helping young people develop independent living skills and we do it through a work-based learning model," says Salzman. "They are working a seasonal job, but the job is really not the focus of the program. It gives them a framework to live in a place that gets them really inspired and do it responsibly while they're gaining skills, meeting new people and, of course, making money. "So by picking places that offer really unique opportunities for young people to just get enthusiastic about their lives, we use these communities as the backdrop." Speaking of destination communities, Salzman was lured to Colorado nine years ago by his brother Alex, who lives in Leadville. Adam Salzman moved from Nashville to Denver, then to Leadville, and returned to Denver one year ago. His work here is directly influenced by his experiences from 6,000 miles away. "I was inspired by the Chinese culture and language that I learned at a restaurant I worked at in high school, where I learned Chinese accidentally. "From there, doing both study abroad and international student orientation it unlocked this idea that the world is far more interconnected and far bigger and more beautiful than IJN could ever even imagine. "This phrase came to me when I was working in international education at Ohio University that Athens is in the world and the world is in Athens. It's looking at this idea of this reciprocity. Travel has been my most impactful teacher." The closest AdventureEXP community to Denver is Aspen, which is ripe with seasonal jobs. Salzman, 32, hopes to add Denver to the list of "hubs." "I've been so blessed to work with international students, and to travel all over the world and have profoundly and impactful experiences in so many places. It's a childlike wonder to me. "When I look at an international student accomplishing the smallest task of learning a new vocabulary word, it just makes my heart soar. "IJN live in the most ethnically and racially diverse country that's ever existed, and therefore a student traveling from Mississippi to Colorado can still have a profoundly impactful cultural immersive and socially connected experience. "It's everything for me." (C) IJN 2026