Nissan is expected to announce a major investment in its car-making plant in Sunderland later, which could secure the future of at least 4,000 jobs.

尼桑将在森德兰投资建一座汽车制造厂，这将至少可以提供4000个就业岗位。

The Sunderland Nissan plant opened in 1986

The Wearside facility has beaten off competition from other Nissan factories in Europe to build a brand new generation of electric cars.

The £380m project will be supported by the European Investment Bank and aided in part by government grants.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson plans a "green revolution" in the north east.

He will visit the Sunderland plant and address some of the company's 4,000 workers about plans to create a "low-carbon economic area" in the region, including a research and development centre and technology park.

Rival decision

Earlier this year, the government set aside £2.3bn to support Britain's ailing¹（生病的） car industry - but not a penny has been paid out.

However, Japanese car giant Nissan could be one of the first beneficiaries（受惠者，受益人） as it announces the new type of electric car is to be made at its existing Sunderland premises²（前提）, which opened in 1986.

The plant saw off competition from a rival Nissan factory in Barcelona to build a car based on a prototype（原型） called Nuvu.

The expected announcement from Nissan will come only days after its Japanese rival Toyota said it would be manufacturing the new Auris hybrid³（混合的，杂种的） petrol-electric vehicle at its plant in in Burnaston, Derbyshire.