Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi confirm new EV alliance
Nissan and Honda have confirmed that they will work together on the next generation of electric vehicles, with Mitsubishi also joining the alliance.
and Nissan, who are both lagging behind European and Chinese rivals in the EV sphere, previously announced that they were considering a partnership to develop new EVs and have now revealed more details.
The two firms have said that they will work together to develop EV batteries and motors as well as developing the next generation of software-defined vehicles (SDV), and could sell rebadged versions of each other’s models in some markets.
In a joint statement, they said that the software field, including autonomous driving, connectivity, and AI, will determine the value of vehicles in the future and they would look to reduce the cost and timescale of innovation by sharing ‘technological knowledge and human resources’.
They have agreed to begin a year-long research programme into fundamental technologies of a new SDV platform with a view to mass production later in the decade.
The companies also confirmed that they will immediately begin sharing specifications and supply of battery cells. Beyond that they will work to ‘commonise’ cell technology so the same batteries can be shared between cars from both brands in the medium to long-term.
They said that by working together they hoped to be able to develop a wider range of battery options for cheaper, shorter-range models and higher-output options.
The statement confirmed that the two sides had agreed to develop common e-axles that will be used across models from both companies in the medium- to long-term, and that they would start by sharing motors and inverters.
It also said that they were considering ‘mutual vehicle complementation’ in some markets. This would see them supply existing vehicles under each other’s badges in certain regions.
The announcement also revealed that Mitsubishi was joining the partnership. Nissan and Honda said this would “add new knowledge and strengths [and] will also provide further synergies that can only be generated by the three companies, as well as new business opportunities”.
Takao Kato, Mitsubishi Motors’ president and CEO, commented: “Collaboration with partners is essential in today’s automotive industry, which is undergoing rapid changes due to technological innovations such as electrification and intelligence. We believe that we can discover new possibilities in a variety of fields through collaboration among the three companies.”
