Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. ("Nissan") and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ("Honda") have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to start discussions and considerations toward a business integration between the two companies through the establishment of a joint holding company.

To further accelerate their efforts toward achieving a carbon-neutral society and a zero-traffic-fatality society, Nissan and Honda signed an MOU on March 15 regarding a strategic partnership for the era of vehicle intelligence and electrification. Since then, the two companies have held discussions aimed at collaboration in various fields.

On August 1, both companies signed a further MOU to deepen the framework of the strategic partnership. The companies also announced that they had agreed to carry out joint research in fundamental technologies in the area of platforms for next-generation software-defined vehicles (SDVs), particularly in the areas crucial for intelligence and electrification, to advance focused discussions toward more concrete collaboration.

Throughout the process, Nissan and Honda have engaged in discussions in consideration of various possibilities and options. At the same time, the business environment for both companies and the wider automotive industry has rapidly changed and the speed of technological innovation has continued to accelerate. The MOU between Nissan and Honda announced today is aimed to serve as an option to maintain global competitiveness and for the two companies to continue to deliver more attractive products and services to customers worldwide.

If the business integration can be realized, both companies can aim to integrate their respective management resources such as knowledge, human resources, and technologies; create deeper synergies; enhance the ability to respond to market changes; and expect to improve mid- to long-term corporate value. Additionally, Nissan and Honda can aim to further contribute to the development of Japan's industrial base as a “leading global mobility company” by integrating Nissan and Honda's four-wheel-vehicle and Honda's motorcycle and power products businesses, enabling the brands of both companies to become more attractive and to deliver more attractive and innovative products and services to customers worldwide.

Marking the announcement, Nissan Director, President, CEO and Representative Executive Officer Makoto Uchida said: "Today marks a pivotal moment as we begin discussions on business integration that has the potential to shape our future. If realized, I believe that by uniting the strengths of both companies, we can deliver unparalleled value to customers worldwide who appreciate our respective brands. Together, we can create a unique way for them to enjoy cars that neither company could achieve alone."

Honda Director and Representative Executive Officer Toshihiro Mibe said: “Creation of new mobility value by bringing together the resources including knowledge, talents, and technologies that Honda and Nissan have been developing over the long years is essential to overcome challenging environmental shifts that the auto industry is facing. Honda and Nissan are two companies with distinctive strengths. We are still at the stage of starting our review, and we have not decided on a business integration yet, but in order to find a direction for the possibility of business integration by the end of January 2025, we strive to be the one and only leading company that creates new mobility value through chemical reaction that can only be driven through synthesis of the two teams."

(Photo credit: Nissan)

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