Nissan's Decherd Powertrain Plant produces 10 millionth engine

(February 29, 2016) DECHERD, Tenn. — With a new engine assembled every 19 seconds, the production lines at Nissan's Decherd Powertrain Plant don't stop often or for very long. Today was an exception as the team stopped to celebrate a milestone — production of the plant's 10 millionth engine.

The 10 millionth engine was a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine that will be assembled into a Nissan Altima scheduled to be built at Nissan's Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant, located about an hour away and also in Tennessee.

The fuel-efficient QR 4-cylinder is the highest volume engine assembled in Decherd. In addition to Altima, which boasts best-in-class* standard highway fuel economy of 39 mpg, the QR engine powers the popular Nissan Rogue crossover. Rogue sales topped 287,000 in the U.S. in 2015, making it Nissan's second best-selling model in America behind Altima.

Nissan began powertrain assembly in Decherd in 1997. Today, its workforce of more than 1,600 manufactures 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines, as well as eMotors, for the complete lineup of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles built in the U.S. The plant also houses crankshaft forging and cylinder block casting operations, making it one of the most complex powertrain facilities in America. 

"Producing 10 million engines is a big number for any plant, but hitting this milestone in less than 19 years is a real testament to the strength and dedication of our workforce," said Gary Edwards, vice president of Nissan's U.S. Powertrain Operations and Battery Plant. "I'm proud of our team, the high-quality engines we build and the important contribution we have made to Nissan's success in North America."

In 2015, the Nissan Decherd Powertrain Plant produced 964,000 engines, including eMotors. By comparison, the plant assembled 162,000 engines in 1998 during its first full year of operation.

In addition to the QR 4-cylinder, Nissan Decherd also builds award-winning VQ 6-cylinder engines for a Nissan lineup that includes the Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, Frontier, Murano, NV Cargo and Passenger vans, as well as the Infiniti QX60. The plant's powerful ZH 8-cylinder engine supports production of Nissan's TITAN full-size pickup, Patrol full-size SUV (sold overseas) and NV Cargo and Passenger vans.