Nissan
Compare Nissan…Manufactures and sells vehicles, including sedans, compact cars, SUVs, and electric vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti, and Datsun brands worldwide.
SectorsElectric Vehicles
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NissanManufactures and sells vehicles, including sedans, compact cars, SUVs, and electric vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti, and Datsun brands worldwide.
| Date / Event | Volume / Capital | Detail / Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2007: AESC founded (Nissan 51% + NEC 49%) | Captive supplier | First-gen Leaf cell supplier; pouch cell architecture |
| 2018: Nissan sells AESC majority to Envision | ~$1B sale | Envision Group acquires 80%; becomes 'Envision AESC'; Nissan continues as primary customer |
| 2020-2023: Envision AESC global expansion | ~30 GWh | Sunderland UK, Smyrna Tennessee, Douai France plants; primarily Nissan/Renault Alliance supply |
| 2024-Mar: Nissan-Honda strategic collaboration announced | Initial MoU | Software, batteries, platforms; first formal step toward potential merger |
| 2024-12-23: Honda-Nissan merger talks formally announced | $50B+ combination | Targeted close August 2026; integration plans for batteries, ADAS, EV platforms |
| 2025-02-13: Merger talks officially suspended | Talks broken | Disagreement over Honda becoming dominant party + Nissan facing restructuring demands |
| 2025-Q2: Nissan announces standalone restructuring | ~9,000 layoffs | Plant closure plans, ~20% capacity reduction; Mitsubishi Motors closer involvement |
| 2025-Q3: Honda-Nissan software collaboration continues | Reduced scope | Joint SDV (software-defined vehicle) work continues despite merger collapse; product collaboration scaled back |
| AESC plants today | ~85 GWh planned | Sunderland UK 35 GWh, Smyrna 25 GWh, Douai France 25 GWh; primarily Nissan + Renault Alliance + select third-party |
$NSANY· Infiniti
A BEV pioneer with the Leaf, the world's first mass-market electric car, now complemented by the Ariya crossover SUV. Delivered ~90K BEVs globally in 2024 while navigating a broader corporate restructuring and potential merger discussions with Honda. Plans to launch 27 electrified models by 2030 with next-gen solid-state battery technology developed through its AESC joint venture.
Key Milestones
Nissan Motor Co. founded in Yokohama as DAT Jidosha Seizo: adopts Nissan name in 1934; alliance with Renault formed 1999 under Carlos Ghosn rescuing Nissan from near-bankruptcy.
Nissan launches Tama EV: a battery-powered post-war commercial vehicle for Japan's gasoline-rationed era; ~1,100 units produced before lead-acid battery limitations and post-war fuel availability ended the program.
Unveils LEAF as the world's first series-produced battery EV: redefining mass-market electric mobility and establishing Nissan-Renault as the global EV leader of the early 2010s.
First-generation LEAF customer deliveries begin in Japan and U.S.: the first mass-market BEV in modern history at $32K starting price; through 2013 LEAF leads global BEV sales.
Second-generation LEAF launches with 40 kWh/150-mile range and ProPILOT driver assist: but Nissan loses early EV-leadership momentum to Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt.
Carlos Ghosn arrested in Tokyo on financial misconduct charges: triggering corporate-governance crisis that derails Nissan's EV strategy execution and weakens the Renault Alliance for years.
Unveils Ariya: Nissan's first dedicated next-gen EV crossover on the new CMF-EV platform shared with Renault; the model is intended to mark Nissan's BEV recovery after the LEAF era.
500,000th LEAF rolls off assembly line on World EV Day: the model remains a global EV pioneer for a decade; cumulative LEAF sales make it the best-selling EV ever at the time.
Ariya enters production in Tochigi, Japan: deliveries begin in domestic and select export markets; the Ariya ramp is delayed by chip shortages and software issues.
Announces 'Arc' plan with 30 new EV/electrified models by 2030: pulls forward all-solid-state battery production targets to 2028; Nissan's third major electrification reset since 2017.
Cuts 9,000 jobs and 20% of global production capacity amid plunging China and U.S. EV/hybrid sales: Nissan's sharpest cost-cut since the 2008 financial crisis and a public admission of EV-strategy struggle.
Signs MOU with Honda to explore merger by 2026: intended to combine EV R&D against BYD/Tesla; would have created the world's third-largest automaker by volume.
Honda merger talks collapse over governance and Nissan-as-subsidiary structure: Nissan continues alone; CEO Makoto Uchida resigns later in March 2025 with Ivan Espinosa named successor.
Reveals next-generation LEAF crossover-style EV: moving the model from hatchback to SUV silhouette, with NACS port for U.S. Supercharger access and a 75 kWh pack delivering 300+ mile EPA range.
