Nissan at the New York International Auto Show in New York City on April 2, 2026.<\/p>\n
Danielle DeVries | CNBC<\/p>\n
Nissan Motor<\/a> is looking to increase its U.S. production<\/a> as it launches the 2027 Rogue crossover, including with a new hybrid model that the company views as a crucial offering for American consumers. <\/p>\n “We’re now maxing out the production capacity in the U.S.,” Christian Meunier, chairman of Nissan Americas, told CNBC. “The next step is going to be three shifts, and I’m pretty optimistic that with the launch of the new Rogue that is happening in the next couple months, we’ll be able to do that pretty quickly with the launch of the hybrid.”<\/p>\n The Japanese automaker currently produces the Rogue alongside other Nissan and Infiniti crossovers at a 6 million-square-foot assembly plant on two production shifts in Smyrna, Tennessee<\/a>. It also has another large manufacturing plant producing the Nissan Altima sedan and Frontier midsize pickup truck in Canton, Mississippi.<\/p>\n Additional production at assembly plants typically means hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs. Nissan’s moves come as the Trump administration has been focused on increasing employment and domestic production in the U.S. auto industry.<\/p>\n U.S. manufacturing of the hybrid is expected to start next year after the spring production launch of the 2027 Rogue with a traditional gas engine at the Tennessee plant.<\/p>\n 2027 Nissan Rogue hybrid<\/p>\n Courtesy Nissan<\/p>\n In the meantime, Meunier said Nissan plans to import the hybrid vehicles from Japan as a way to get them to market more quickly to lift sales and help with an ongoing global turnaround plan for the company.<\/p>\n Meunier said if Nissan can add a third shift to each of its assembly plants, it would boost the automaker’s U.S. production to roughly 1 million units annually, up from nearly 487,000 in 2025.<\/p>\n Nissan has a target to produce 80% of the vehicles it sells in the U.S. domestically by 2030, but the company has no plans for a new plant as of now.<\/p>\n “I think we’re very well equipped to succeed without major investment and a new factory and everything else. Maybe after 2030,” he said. “Over the next four or five years, we’ll see.”<\/p>\n Nissan e-Power<\/p>\n Nissan on Monday officially revealed the 2027 Rogue with its new “e-Power” technology<\/a> for the U.S., which is the first hybrid of its kind for the American market. <\/p>\n The “e-Power” system is called a series hybrid. <\/p>\n It uses the engine as a generator to power the vehicle’s electric motors that then propel the vehicle. It operates like emerging extended-range electric vehicles,<\/a> or EREVs, but has a smaller battery and doesn’t require a plug.\u00a0It also does not use the engine to power the wheels, just electric motors. <\/p>\n 2027 Nissan Rogue Hybrid SR with technology package<\/p>\n Courtesy Nissan<\/p>\n Meunier said the Rogue hybrid and resurrecting the Xterra off-road SUV were his top vehicle priorities when he rejoined Nissan in January 2025<\/a> after four and a half years with Jeep. That included pulling ahead the Rogue hybrid twice for the U.S.<\/p>\n Nissan said Monday<\/a> that the starting pricing of the Rogue hybrid will be between $35,490 for the entry-level model to $43,490 for a “Platinum” version.<\/p>\n The Rogue is a sales leader for the company in the U.S. It competes in the highly competitive small crossover segment against the Toyota<\/a> RAV4 and Honda<\/a> CR-V, which have the best-selling hybrid options in that category.<\/p>\n “The hybrid power that we’re launching on Rogue is going to really be the boost to our performance,” Meunier said. “It’s been quite remarkable to be able to grow without having a hybrid in the U.S. because the hybrids are obviously becoming more and more popular.”<\/p>\n Meunier said Nissan plans to position the Rogue e-Power squarely against the Toyota RAV4. He said that may include an unconventional sales option to allow potential customers to test drive both vehicles at Nissan dealerships, which wouldn’t typically have a Toyota available.<\/p>\n The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid GR Sport at the Vancouver Auto Show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, March 25, 2026.<\/p>\n James MacDonald | Bloomberg | Getty Images<\/p>\n The focus on the Rogue hybrid comes after Nissan and other automakers lost billions of dollars on all-electric vehicles<\/a> amid a pullback in regulatory support as well as lackluster consumer demand.<\/p>\n Nissan has said the e-Power is a better solution than EVs or even traditional hybrids for U.S. consumers, especially amid inflated fuel prices<\/a> due to the Iran war.<\/p>\n “It’s going to make people look at Nissan with different eyes,” Meunier said. “A lot of customers that didn’t even consider us until the hybrid comes to market.”<\/p>\n Nissan did not disclose expected fuel economy for the Nissan Rogue hybrid. The Toyota RAV4 hybrid is rated at up to 43 miles per gallon combined, while the Honda CR-V has 40 mpg combined.<\/p>\n