Nissan to Move Plant Despite Morelos Governor’s Objection

Nissan has officially confirmed the relocation of its manufacturing plant from Civac, Morelos, to Aguascalientes, following a formal request from the governor of Morelos, Margarita González Saravia, to reconsider the move.

The confirmation came directly from Nissan’s global CEO, as reported by Governor González during a media briefing on Aug. 6. “Yesterday, we received a response from Nissan’s global CEO confirming they will proceed with the relocation to Aguascalientes,” she stated.

Nissan initially announced the closure of the Civac facility on July 29 as part of a broader global restructuring effort. This move comes amid industry-wide adjustments in response to recent US tariff measures, which have compelled several automakers to reassess supply chains and production footprints across North America.

On Aug. 4, Governor González sent a letter to Iván Espinosa, Nissan’s Director General in Japan, urging the company to reconsider the plant’s closure. While the letter’s details remain undisclosed, the governor emphasized Morelos’s ambition to be prioritized for future investment. “Together with the federal government and Marcelo Ebrard, we are actively pursuing the designation of Morelos as a priority investment state,” she added.

Under Nissan’s Re:Nissan recovery plan, all vehicle production in Mexico will be consolidated at the Aguascalientes complex during the 2025 fiscal year, ending in March 2026. This consolidation will cease operations at the Civac plant and centralize manufacturing of current and upcoming models in Aguascalientes, aiming to enhance production efficiency and logistical operations while supporting long-term growth.

Nissan CEO Iván Espinosa commented, “For more than six decades, Nissan Mexicana has fostered a strong relationship with its stakeholders in Mexico. This difficult but necessary decision will help us become more efficient, competitive, and sustainable. We deeply appreciate the dedication of our employees at the Civac plant.” He reaffirmed the company’s ongoing commitment to its Mexican workforce and market.

The decision is aligned with Re:Nissan’s global goal of reducing production capacity from 3.5 million units (excluding China) to 2.5 million while maintaining nearly full plant utilization. Nissan is evaluating the consolidation of its global production network from 17 to 10 sites. The company assured that the transition will be handled with transparency and respect for affected employees. Commercial operations will continue as usual.

The Civac Plant, Nissan’s first manufacturing facility outside Japan, opened in 1966 and has produced over 6.5 million vehicles to date, accounting for about 11% of Nissan’s total Mexican output. Current models produced at Civac—the Nissan NP300, Frontier, and Versa—will be shifted to Aguascalientes.

Notable milestones for the Civac plant include launching Line 1 with the Datsun Bluebird in 1966 and exporting the Tsubame model to Japan in 1993. The plant celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016 and surpassed 6 million vehicles produced in 2019.