Nissan Motor Co and Honda Motor Co have announced today that the two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding under which they will begin a feasibility study of a strategic partnership in the fields of vehicle electrification and intelligence.

To further accelerate efforts toward carbon neutrality and zero traffic-accident fatalities, it will be essential to strengthen environmental and electrification technologies as well as software development. The two companies have reached the understanding based on the belief that it is necessary to combine their strengths and explore the possibility of future collaboration.

The scope of the feasibility study includes automotive software platforms, core components related to EVs, and complementary products.

Makoto Uchida, president and CEO, said: “It is important to prepare for the increasing pace of transformation in mobility in the mid-to-long-term, and it is significant that we have reached this agreement based on a mutual understanding that Honda and Nissan face common challenges. We look forward to further discussions and aim to find win-wins for sustainable growth.”

Toshihiro Mibe, Honda director, president and representative executive officer, said: “In this period of once-in-a-century transformation in the automotive industry, we will examine the potential for partnership between Nissan and Honda. Our study criteria will be whether the synergy of the technologies and knowledge that our companies have cultivated will enable us to become industry leaders by creating new value for the automotive industry.”

While most of the leading carmakers in India have already entered the EV market and some are outlined plans in the near future, Nissan India and Honda Cars India have yet to do so. At the launch of the all-new Elevate midsize SUV, Honda Cars India had announced that it plans to have a portfolio of five SUVs in the country and it intends to use India as an export hub in the future.

Honda Cars India, which has made exports a key strategic pillar for the growth of its internal combustion engine-powered SUVs and already shipped nearly 7,000 Elevates rebadged as WR-V for the Japanese market, aims to transition into a hub for EVs with its new project ‘ACE’. ACE, which stands for ‘Asian Compact Electric, is understood to be ready by 2026 and almost 50-70% of the EVs produced in India will be exported to key overseas markets including Japan.

Nissan is also readying as many as four new models for India, including an entry-level hatchback spawned from the CMF-AEV platform. 

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