Nissan Motor (7201.T) has unveiled plans to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) developed in China to global markets.
In a strategic move, the Japanese automaker has partnered with a top Chinese university to tap into local resources, expediting its research and development efforts in the field of electrification.
Masashi Matsuyama, Vice President of Nissan Motor and President of Nissan China, announced the company’s intentions during a press briefing in Beijing.
The company is contemplating exporting its existing lineup of internal combustion engine vehicles, as well as forthcoming all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, which are both manufactured and developed in China, to international markets. Nissan is eyeing similar markets to its Chinese counterparts, including BYD.
This decision aligns Nissan with other global brands like Tesla (TSLA.O), BMW (BMWG.DE), and Ford (F.N), which are also capitalizing on the cost advantages of manufacturing in China and optimizing their factories’ production capacities by exporting China-made vehicles.
China contributed just over 20% of Nissan’s global sales, totaling about 2.8 million vehicles, in the first ten months of the year.
This represents a decline from the previous year when China accounted for over a third of Nissan’s sales.
Japanese carmakers have faced significant sales challenges in China, the world’s largest auto market, as domestic brands gain popularity, and intense price competition continues amid a rapid shift towards EVs.
Nissan is set to establish a joint research center in collaboration with China’s prestigious Tsinghua University in the coming year.
This center will focus on the research and development of EVs, encompassing areas such as charging infrastructure and battery recycling.
Nissan hopes that this partnership will provide deeper insights into the Chinese market, allowing them to tailor their strategies to better meet local customer needs.
The establishment of this research center builds upon the joint research initiatives that Nissan has been involved in with Tsinghua University since 2016.
These previous efforts concentrated on intelligent mobility and autonomous driving technology.
Nissan President and Chief Executive Makoto Uchida expressed optimism about the collaboration, emphasizing its potential to enhance their understanding of the Chinese market and the development of customer-centric strategies.