Nissan investigating global export of its China-made EVs

Japanese automotive manufacturer Nissan Motor is considering exporting its China-made battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrid electrics.

That plan was aired by Nissan vice president and Nissan China president Masashi Matsumoto during a recent Beijing press conference.

Matsumoto reportedly says Nissan’s focus is on targeting markets with strong competitors like BYD in China, aiming to compete with global brands such as Tesla, BMW, and Ford.

China has many international brands using its manufacturing cost advantages for the EV market.

Nissan sold about 2.8 million vehicles worldwide in the first 10 months of 2023 – about a fifth of its sales from the same time last year – said to reflect the competition faced by Japanese automotive manufacturers in China.

The Japanese brand also plans a joint research centre in 2024 with Tsinghua University in China to further develop EVs, EV charging infrastructure, EV battery recycling, intelligent mobility and autonomous driving technology.