What started as a rumor in Japanese media earlier this week has been officially confirmed. Honda and Nissan have signed a memorandum of understanding for a feasibility study to explore the potential of jointly developed electric vehicles. If the two automakers reach an agreement, the partnership could also include software collaboration.
The collaboration is still in its early stages, but if Nissan and Honda strike a deal, the plan is to focus their efforts on “automotive software platforms, electric vehicle-related core components and complementary products.” The software part could concern safety and/or autonomous driving technologies since the press release published by the two companies speaks of “zero fatal road accidents”. It also includes a common goal of achieving carbon neutrality.
According to a report published by Nikkei Asia A few days ago, Nissan and Honda wanted to develop a new platform exclusively intended for electric vehicles. The collaboration could extend to joint engineering of electric vehicles. Additionally, Japanese automakers could pool their funds to purchase a common powertrain and batteries for electric vehicles.
A tie-up would not only speed up development, but also reduce R&D costs. Honda is no longer working with General Motors to co-develop affordable electric crossovers, so it’s no surprise that it’s looking for a new partner. The collaboration with GM will likely be limited to the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX on the Ultium platform.
Nissan has a partner in Renault for electric vehicles and other types of vehicles. The next-generation Micra will be heavily based on the reborn Renault 5. It will use around 80% of the same parts and will enter production in 2026 at the Renault factory in Douai, in the north of France.
As Chinese competition intensifies while the Volkswagen Group and Stellantis double down on electric vehicles, Nissan and Honda don’t want to be left behind. However, as the two have just signed a memorandum of understanding, this means that a jointly developed platform/car is unlikely to be released in the next few years, provided a final deal is reached.
