The 2023 Nissan Z is a very solid sports car but according to a report out of Japan, production is operating well below expected levels because of issues at the paint shop in Nissan’s Tochigi plant in Japan.
The facility is part of the Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative and is said to have a keen focus on sustainability while also relying heavily on automation. Driver Web claims to have heard from a source that it is no longer just the semiconductor shortage that is impacting Z production but instead issues at the factory.
This report does not pinpoint an exact reason why Nissan is encountering issues with the painting process, but The Drive notes that the plant uses water-based paint. It also uses low-temperature curing to decrease energy consumption and even uses recycled air during the drying process. The site also operates an automated paint inspection system that can detect flaws down to 0.3 mm in size.
Nissan is said to be concerned that the quality of its current paint jobs cannot be guaranteed due to these issues. It is also reported that the all-electric Ariya is experiencing similar paint issues.
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While speaking with The Drive, a Nissan spokesperson acknowledged that paint concerns are one of the reasons for the production delay but noted other factors are also at play.
“Production of the Nissan Ariya and Z at the Tochigi Plant in Japan has been facing the significant challenges of 1) a limited semiconductor supply and 2) deliveries of components that have been hampered by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said. “In addition, with the introduction of the Nissan Intelligent Factory initiative at the plant, a completely new production system was adopted. Unfortunately, it is taking some time to further improve the production capabilities in the painting and assembly processes. Nissan is making a full and diligent effort to fully regain production capacity at the plant.”
