On August 1, according to the Chongqing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the joint venture filing between Nissan (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (“Nissan China”) and Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. (“Dongfeng Group”) has entered the public announcement period (July 31 – August 9, 2025).
Joint Venture Details
The simplified case disclosure shows that Nissan China and Dongfeng Group plan to establish a new joint venture in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, focusing on the export of complete vehicles, auto parts, and automotive accessories. After the transaction, Nissan China will hold 60% equity, and Dongfeng Group will hold 40%. The JV’s registered capital will be RMB 1 billion, with Nissan contributing RMB 600 million and Dongfeng contributing RMB 400 million. From an antitrust perspective, Nissan China will have control over the JV, while Dongfeng will retain decisive influence over certain matters.
Export Strategy
Nissan plans to begin exporting EVs from China in 2026, targeting markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The first export model will be the Dongfeng Nissan N7, launched on April 27 with a price range of RMB 119,900–149,900. The N7 features the NISSAN OS infotainment system powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chip and integrated with the DeepSeek-R1 large language model. It is also equipped with Momenta’s advanced driver-assistance system and NVIDIA Orin chips, supporting highway NOA, city memory NOA, and full-scenario smart parking.
Powertrain-wise, the N7 uses single-motor configurations with outputs of 160 kW or 200 kW, paired with 58 kWh or 73 kWh LFP batteries, delivering 510–635 km CLTC range. Deliveries began on May 15, and in June, 6,189 units were delivered.
Nissan’s Global Restructuring
Facing declining performance, Nissan is restructuring its global production strategy, aiming to leverage cost-effective, high-performance China-made EVs to expand abroad and revitalize operations. In FY2025 Q1 (April–June), Nissan’s revenue fell 9.7% YoY to JPY 2.71 trillion, with a net loss of JPY 115.7 billion (vs. a profit of JPY 28.6 billion a year earlier). Operating loss was JPY 79.1 billion, marking its fourth consecutive quarterly loss.
Re:Nissan Plan
In May, Nissan launched its “Re:Nissan” three-year revival plan, with a strong focus on cost-cutting:
Cutting 20,000 jobs globally by FY2027 (15% of workforce).
Reducing global factories from 17 to 10, streamlining powertrain facilities.
Investing JPY 2 trillion over five years to accelerate electrification.
Launching 10 new energy models by 2027, including sedans, SUVs, and pickups with ICE, BEV, PHEV, and range-extended variants.
Targeting 23 electrified models by FY2030 and mass-producing solid-state batteries by 2028.Further optimizing its e-POWER technology.
