Honda, Nissan sign MoU to begin feasibility study of partnership on vehicle electrification, intelligence

Following an earlier report of a potential tie-up between Honda and Nissan for cooperation in the electric vehicle sector, the two Japanese manufacturers have released a joint statement that each have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the commencement of a feasibility study of a strategic partnership in the fields of vehicle electrification and intelligence.

“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 joint statement read, and this will be to expedite efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality and zero traffic accident fatalities.

The scope of this feasibility study will include automotive software platforms, EV-related core components, and complementary products, according to the joint statement by the two manufacturers.

“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,” Nissan president and CEO Makoto Uchida said in the statement.

“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,” Honda director, president and executive officer Toshihiro Mibe said in the joint statement.

In terms of their respective EV directions prior to this, Nissan announced its expedited Ambition 2030 strategy in February last year, revealing that it would release 19 new EVs by 2030, as part of 27 new electrified models that it will roll out by that time. Meanwhile, Honda laid out its EV plans in 2022, stating that it plans to roll out 30 EVs by 2030, and has targeted an annual production volume of two million units.

Honda has also signed an MoU with Sony in March 2022, then Sony Honda Mobility was formally established. The two brands would then announce its joint EV brand, Afeela, which is planned to have its first car go on sale in North America in 2026.

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