Mitsubishi to reportedly join Honda-Nissan alliance

Mitsubishi Motors will join the Honda-Nissan alliance.

So says Nikkei Asia, adding Honda Motor and Nissan Motor announced a comprehensive cooperation agreement earlier this year, but no decision had been made on what to do with Mitsubishi Motors, in which Nissan holds a 34.01% stake.

The trio will work together to enhance their competitiveness, mainly to help combat competition from China EV manufacturers and Tesla.

“Mitsubishi Motors signed a nondisclosure agreement with Honda and Nissan and began discussions,” says Nikkei Asia.

“Honda and Nissan are the second- and third-largest automakers in Japan, respectively, with global sales of 4.1 million and 3.44 million units in the fiscal year ending March 2024. When Mitsubishi’s 810,000 units are added, the group will have sales of 8.35 million vehicles.

“Toyota, the largest automaker, has been making alliances in Japan. It has formed a tie-up with Daihatsu, Suzuki, Subaru, Mazda and Hino Motors, bringing the five automakers’ combined sales volume to 16 million units.”

Mitsubishi is expected to work with Honda and Nissan to finalise specific details of the alliance.

The three companies intend to standardise the in-vehicle software that controls the vehicle. Nissan and Honda are expected to jointly develop the basic software and will discuss its use in Mitsubishi vehicles, says Nikkei Asia.

The alliance is likely to deal with EVs (including plug-in hybrids or PHEVs) and other electrification-related fields, also possibly mini-vehicles or “kei cars”.