Nissan’s new Americas leader, Christian Meunier, aims to maximize production at the automaker’s largest American plant in Tennessee in response to President Trump’s 25% auto tariffs. Meunier wants to increase domestic production to boost Nissan’s U.S. operations, which have been struggling. The goal is to increase production at the Smyrna facility to its full capacity of 640,000 vehicles per year on three shifts. Meunier also plans to add hybrid production and new products, such as an Infiniti model, to the plant.
Trump’s potential 25% tariffs on auto parts could impact Nissan’s plans, but Meunier is hopeful for a compromise. Nissan currently has two assembly plants in Mexico producing various vehicles, including imports to the U.S. Despite the recent tariffs on imported vehicles, the company is committed to increasing domestic production to minimize the impact of these tariffs.
In the U.S., Nissan has other facilities capable of producing over a million vehicles annually, including powertrain and assembly plants in Tennessee and Mississippi. The Nissan Rogue and Pathfinder are seen as having significant growth potential for the company. In response to the tariffs, Nissan lowered prices on some models and stopped taking new orders for certain SUVs. Despite the challenges, Meunier is confident in Nissan’s turnaround plan, emphasizing the importance of localization and increasing domestic content to navigate the impact of the tariffs.
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