Mitsubishi Is Teaming Up With Honda And Nissan For Electric Vehicles

Key Highlights

• Mitsubishi is joining the existing electric vehicle partnership between Honda and Nissan.

• The collaboration aims to better compete with Chinese rivals in the EV market.

• The partnership will work on standardizing in-vehicle software and sharing technologies.

• The expanded alliance benefits from combined annual sales of over 8 million vehicles.

• Mitsubishi, Honda, and Nissan have not made official comments on the matter, and the report is not based on an official announcement.

Mitsubishi is joining the Nissan-Honda electric car partnership to better compete with Chinese companies, according to Nikkei Asia. Announced in March 2024, this collaboration now includes Mitsubishi, Honda, and Nissan.

Nissan, holding a 34% stake in Mitsubishi, brings the alliance's combined annual sales to over 8 million vehicles. Mitsubishi will collaborate with Nissan and Honda to finalize their strategy and focus on standardizing in-vehicle software.

Mitsubishi Motors has not commented on the matter, and Nissan said the report is not based on an official announcement. Honda also hasn't responded to requests for comment.

This development comes as Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, struggles with declining market share in China and the US, affecting half of its global sales.

Although not officially confirmed, reports suggest Mitsubishi might share its smaller pickup models and plug-in hybrid technology with Honda. The original Honda-Nissan plan to standardize in-vehicle software may also extend to Mitsubishi. In late 2023, Mitsubishi exited the Chinese market after significant losses. Despite being a pioneer with the Leaf, Nissan sold only 140,000 EVs in 2023, lagging behind BYD and Tesla.

Honda and GM were developing a $30,000 electric car, but the project was abandoned in late 2023 after a fatal incident involving GM's Cruise division led to its suspension. GM decided to cancel the new model and instead upgrade the Chevrolet Bolt to reduce costs. Similarly, Tesla will use updated hardware for its $35,000 electric car, set to launch in North America in 2025.

Honda will partner with Sony to develop an electric car brand called Afeela. They plan to launch a compact car, SUV, and sedan by 2027. By 2030, Honda aims for around 40% of its global sales to be fuel cell or hybrid vehicles, transitioning to 100% electric by 2040.

Verdict

Mitsubishi is joining forces with Honda and Nissan to develop electric vehicles, aiming to compete more effectively with Chinese rivals. This expanded alliance, which combines significant sales and expertise, focuses on standardizing in-vehicle software and leveraging shared technologies. Despite the lack of official comments from Mitsubishi and Honda, this collaboration signifies a strategic move to strengthen their position in the growing EV market.

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