Nissan explores joint vehicle development with Honda in U.S., Nikkei reports
Nissan Motor Co Ltd is considering a joint project with Honda Motor Co for vehicle and powertrain development in the United States, CEO Ivan Espinosa told the Nikkei business daily on Thursday.
The two Japanese automakers previously discussed a merger in late 2024, but negotiations ended in February 2025 due to disagreements, including the balance of control. Espinosa clarified there are currently no talks of a merger or capital alliance, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Nissan stated it is continuing to explore collaboration opportunities with Honda in electrification and intelligent vehicle technologies, but offered no additional updates.
The U.S. remains the largest market for both companies. Nissan has struggled with a limited hybrid vehicle lineup, an area where Honda excels. According to the Nikkei, Nissan is also considering producing pickup trucks for Honda at its U.S. plants, which currently have spare capacity.
Nissan recently reported nearly 7% growth in North American sales in the second quarter, driven by a focused marketing strategy and a shift toward retail sales over fleet sales. Meanwhile, Honda said the U.S. accounts for over 40% of its global sales, but it recently downgraded its annual operating profit outlook due to a chip shortage from Nexperia, reducing its North American vehicle sales forecast by 110,000 units.
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