- Nissan and Honda each have separate relationships with Dongfeng Motor, a Chinese language firm accountable for producing some Honda and Nissan merchandise in China.
- The Nissan N7 is the manufacturing model of the primary of the 4 EV and PHEV ideas it unveiled in collaboration with Dongfeng Motor on the 2024 Beijing Auto Present.
- The Honda Ye collection automobiles are additionally made by Dongfeng. (Dongfeng Honda)
That is the Nissan N7. We’ve seen it earlier than just a few occasions now; first in idea type on the Beijing Present of 2024, then later that yr in production-intent type by November. A number of days in the past, the Chinese language Ministry of Trade and Info Expertise (MIIT) uncovered the ultimate manufacturing mannequin within the final step wanted for homologation on Chinese language roads.
The MIIT did expose some energy and dimensional particulars, it is going to be a single motor-only sedan producing both 214 horsepower or 268 horsepower. I imply, it’s positive sufficient, it doesn’t look like an enormous step in any route, and it seemingly shall be a positive sedan to serve China’s model of Uber referred to as Didi.
There’s nothing essentially unsuitable with the N7, nevertheless it’s clearly not a really thrilling sedan. Furthermore, I can’t assist however assume that this automobile received’t be lengthy for this world due to the Nissan-Honda merger. See, the N7 is developed partially by Dongfeng Motor, considered one of Nissan’s authentic companions from China’s 50/50 three way partnership scheme to get automakers to spend money on China and assist its automobile trade mature.
Dongfeng not solely builds Nissan fashions beneath contract, however additionally it is considerably concerned within the improvement of the automobiles themselves, particularly within the EV period.
Usually, this wouldn’t be a difficulty. However considered one of Honda’s two three way partnership companions is additionally Dongfeng Motor. Like Nissan, Dongfeng is a part of Honda’s EV improvement and manufacturing. Most lately, it’s began producing the China-only Honda Ye collection of automobiles.
It looks like there are a variety of fashions and improvement chains to untangle right here. Not solely are each manufacturers intertwined with Dongfeng, nevertheless it’s not clear what merchandise would be the winner on the finish of the day. Honda has been adamant that it desires to share prices and probably streamline improvement prices between each lineups, nevertheless it appears like they’ve a complete different model in China the place they’ve spent a number of cash creating, manufacturing and advertising and marketing competing lineups of automobiles that seemingly don’t have anything to do with one another. The place does Dongfeng fall beneath all these things?
Whereas at a Honda roundtable at this yr’s CES, I requested what would come of the relationships each Honda and Nissan have with Dongfeng.
“Dongfeng Nissan and Dongfeng Honda are two totally different corporations. After all, we all know the scenario…however really, the discussions are between [only] Honda and Nissan. Ultimately, we must discuss it, however so there’s no conclusion over that,” mentioned Katsushi Inoue, Honda’s International Head of Electrification Enterprise Growth.
He mentioned that quickly, Honda might make a shared announcement about the way forward for the tie-ups, however as of that second they’d nothing so as to add.
From so many views, this mesh-up between Nissan and Honda feels so messy. As said earlier, Honda mentioned it desires to simplify improvement and probably share EV prices with Nissan, however how will that work, precisely? Honda already has three joint ventures or shared corporations (Dongfeng, Sony and Normal Motors) that every one have EVs which can be unrelated to one another.
Dongfeng itself has a funds line of automobiles referred to as Venucia – lots of Venucia automobiles use components from the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi components bin. How on earth will Nissan fall in line? On the finish of the day, which merchandise will stay, and which received’t?
EV consumers throughout the globe will simply have to sit down again and watch what fashions make it, and which fall by the wayside.
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