According to informed sources on October 30, Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Corporation plan to establish a joint venture before March 2025, primarily focusing on autonomous driving technology and electric vehicle battery-related services.
The new joint venture will concentrate on providing autonomous driving services in rural Japan. Due to labor shortages and limited public transportation options caused by aging populations in these areas, autonomous driving services will offer new solutions to address these challenges.
According to sources, the new company, equally owned by Nissan and Mitsubishi Corp with 50% shares each, is also considering using stored power from electric vehicle batteries as emergency household power sources. In March this year, both companies indicated they would explore energy services utilizing electric vehicles, though specific details were not disclosed at the time.
Nissan is actively advancing collaborations in the electric vehicle sector. Earlier this year, the company engaged in discussions with Honda Motor regarding electric vehicle production cooperation. Additionally, Nissan maintains a three-way alliance with Mitsubishi Motors and Renault.
In the autonomous driving field, Nissan has already launched pilot mobility services in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, and Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
In June this year, Mitsubishi Corp announced plans to establish a joint venture with Honda to provide electric vehicle technology services. This collaboration includes pilot projects in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, and other locations, studying the implementation of efficient public transportation systems using artificial intelligence.
Nissan has set a target to achieve sales of 2.5 trillion yen (approximately $16 billion) from new businesses related to autonomous driving and electric vehicle technologies by fiscal year 2031 (ending March 2031).
Key Points:
- Nissan and Mitsubishi Corp plan to establish a joint venture focusing on EV batteries and autonomous driving services.
- The new company will prioritize addressing mobility issues in rural Japan.
- Plans include developing applications for EV battery storage in household emergency power supply.
- Nissan is expanding collaborations with multiple companies in the EV sector.
- Sales target for new businesses set at 2.5 trillion yen by fiscal year 2031.
