This ambitious plan also emphasises strengthened collaboration with partners, particularly within the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance.
Collaboration with Mitsubishi is set to yield several new vehicles for North America, including a jointly developed 1-ton pickup truck manufactured in Mexico. While it remains unclear if this pickup is part of the seven vehicles slated for launch in the U.S., producing it in Mexico would circumvent steep tariffs, potentially facilitating its sale in the American market.
Initially, the new pickup is expected to feature petrol engines, but there are considerations for future versions to incorporate plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains. Nissan and Mitsubishi have separately hinted at their work on electric trucks, with Nissan unveiling the Surf-Out electric truck concept in 2021.
Furthermore, Nissan plans to introduce its first plug-in hybrid vehicle in the U.S., utilising powertrain technology sourced from Mitsubishi. In exchange, Mitsubishi will gain access to Nissan’s electric vehicle technology, signalling a reciprocal partnership between the two automakers.
Moreover, Nissan and Honda announced their exploration of a potential partnership in the realms of electric vehicles and software development, although specific product details have not been disclosed.
While there were rumours of collaboration between Nissan and EV startup Fisker on an electric truck for the U.S., recent developments suggest that these talks have ceased. Fisker, which had previously hinted at discussions with a major OEM, likely Nissan, regarding an investment deal, confirmed in a regulatory filing that these discussions are no longer ongoing.