Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ivan Espinosa is staying committed to redefining the Japanese car brand’s product and market approach in line with the Re:Nissan business roadmap. It is a plan that’s meant to reduce costs and to maximize Nissan’s resources.
As such, Espinosa said that Nissan will expand its e-Power technology to include plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicle (EV) versions as the global demand for all-electric vehicles slows down. Nissan CEO Espinosa shared that the car brand “will have derivatives of e-Power that could come in the form of a PHEV or EREV.”
Despite this, Nissan will continue developing all-electric vehicles, but it will adjust its investment budget for such powertrain as demand for EVs is experiencing hiccups. The plan to maximize its e-Power technology makes sense since it is aligned with the car brand’s Re:Nissan strategy.
The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and the extended-range EV versions of the e-Power are also seen to help lower fleet emissions, as reported by Automotive News Europe.
To put things in perspective, automakers are facing more stringent fleet emission standards in Europe. As a result, Espinosa is looking at the possibility of importing the Frontier Pro pickup truck from China to Europe. This move is said to help Nissan broaden its electrified commercial vehicle lineup in the European market. The all-new Frontier Pro, launched last year, was developed by Nissan in partnership with its Chinese joint-venture partner, Dongfeng.
Nissan’s decision to slow down its EV rollout is similar to the route that Honda is taking. Honda President Toshihiro Mibe previously said that the car brand will be realigning its business strategy when it comes to the development and production of EVs.
Honda noted that there is a “slowdown in the expansion of [EVs]” in the market, which is caused by several factors, including changes in environmental regulations. Honda will instead put more focus on introducing hybrid electric vehicles, to be introduced to the market in 2027 onward.
Autocar’s Take
Nissan’s plan to introduce a PHEV and an extended-range EV version of its e-Power technology shows that the car brand is looking for ways to stay competitive in the ever changing automotive landscape. Previously, the race to introduce all-electric vehicles was the priority for automakers, but due to some factors and slower demand, car brands are now taking a step back.
Nissan and Honda are among the car brands that acknowledge the slower demand for EVs, which is why they are focusing their efforts on introducing hybrid vehicles. While Nissan is still considering expanding its e-Power tech, Honda has already announced that it will be introducing new hybrid electric vehicles to the market in 2027 onward.
