EV Bedfellows – Nissan and Mitsubishi Sign MoU

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on EV Bedfellows – Nissan and Mitsubishi MoU – courtesy and copyright Nissan March 2024 all rights reserved

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Nissan Motor (7201T. NSANY ADR) and Mitsubishi Corporation (8058.T) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue a new joint initiative in next-generation-mobility and energy-related services using electric vehicles in Japan. The companies said today that Japan as a country has been addressing issues such as driver shortages due to a declining population, and difficulties maintaining public transportation services due to decreasing numbers of users. Nissan and MC have also been undertaking various initiatives to solve these problems.

Joint initiatives of course have potential economies of scale, reducing the intense capital costs required to develop EVs and autonomous vehicles. They are applicable globally. This is making for what would have previously been unlikely hookups or strange bedfellows. Nissan and Honda, two of Japan’s Big Three automakers, previously announced that will study sharing automotive software platforms, core components related to EVs, and complementary products. (read Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Honda and Nissan Sign MoU for EV Technology Sharing, Renault and Nissan, Mitsubishi Alliance to Restructure; Chinese Auto Market is Flying High – Exports a Threat)

“They have signed a memorandum of understanding to co-create sustainable business models. Leveraging their respective expertise and knowledge, both companies aim to jointly commercialize next-generation mobility services and energy-related services utilizing EVs,” Nissan and Mitsubishi said in a joint release.

Nissan’s initiatives include mobility services in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture, and autonomous driving tests in the Yokohama Minato Mirai District to achieve free movement for more people. Additionally, Nissan is developing energy management systems by utilizing EV battery storage and charging/discharging functions in combination with renewable energy.

Mitsubishi Corporation, in collaboration with partners and local governments, has been addressing social and industrial challenges through initiatives focusing on (1) using regional energy resources including renewable energy, (2) achieving carbon neutrality, and (3) creating attractive communities by solving local issues. In the mobility sector, MC has been expanding measures to improve transportation challenges through the implementation of AI on-demand transportation for local governments and private companies, including Shiojiri City in Nagano Prefecture, and conducting autonomous driving demonstrations using digital solutions.

“Through exciting vehicles and technologies, Nissan is building a smart ecosystem that expands both the possibilities of mobility for people and the potential of society. We want to help solve regional issues and create future-centered cities through new mobility services and energy management. MC shares our motivation, and together we will study a robust and sustainable business model,” said Makoto Uchida, Nissan president and CEO.

“As the mobility sector undergoes significant transformation due to technological innovation and decarbonization, MC, through its EX-DX integrated approach outlined in its mid-term management strategy, MC Shared Value 2024, aims to work with Nissan to explore the creation of sustainable business models that address Japan’s societal challenges,” said Katsuya Nakanishi, Mitsubishi Corporation president and CEO.

About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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