Nissan announces accelerated China push
Nissan's N7 electric sedan, produced with Chinese partner Dongfeng, promises a range of up to 635 kilometres (395 miles) and customisable lighting
Japanese auto giant Nissan on Wednesday announced the launch of two models aimed at picking up speed in its key market of China, where it has been outpaced by local rivals.
At industry show Auto Shanghai, the group announced an investment of 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) into China, and said it would increase the number of new models it planned to launch by summer 2027 to 10, up from eight.
The group's China chief, Stephen Ma, told a press conference the aim was to match Chinese competitors, and that Nissan had been slow in approaching the market with new models.
"We were not at the same speed, mainly because the Chinese brands were exceptional with speed," Ma said.
With fewer than 800,000 vehicles sold, in the 2023 financial year Nissan's sales fell by 24.1 percent in China, the world's leading car market.
The company is struggling on several fronts, with fragile accounts and an aborted merger attempt with Honda exacerbated by the tariff turmoil affecting its biggest market, the United States.
The group's renewed China offensive was on display at its booth on Wednesday, in the hulking form of the Frontier Pro truck.
It is Nissan's first plug-in hybrid vehicle, and designed to appeal to Chinese consumers' tastes.
The N7 electric sedan, meanwhile, produced with local partner Dongfeng, promises a range of up to 635 kilometers, customisable lighting and advanced driving assistance systems.
Nissan also plans to export the two models outside of China "in less than a year", Ma said, without specifying where -- other than not to the United States.
© 2025 AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan's Princess Kako leaves for Brazil to mark 130 years of ties
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's Princess Kako, a niece of Emperor Naruhito, departed for Brazil on Wednesday to promote ties between the two countries, which mark 130 years of diplomatic relations this year. The younger daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko will arrive in Sao Paulo on Thursday and plans to visit eight cities, including the capital, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. During her fourth official overseas visit, the princess will pay a courtesy call on President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and attend a commemorative event related to the anniversary, according to the Imperial Household Agency. She will also meet with locals of Japanese descent before returning to Japan on June 17. Brazil is home to the largest Japanese community outside Japan, with about 2.7 million people of Japanese descent living there, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The first group of Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil in 1908 under a government policy at the time to encourage emigration in the wake of an economic downturn and a growing population. Emperor Naruhito visited Brazil in 2008 as crown prince to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese emigration to the South American country. The princess's older sister, Mako Komuro, also traveled to Brazil in 2018 for the 110th anniversary. In 2015, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko visited Brazil for the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Japan Today
2 hours ago
- Japan Today
Nintendo fans stoked for Switch 2 'mega launch'
Nintendo hopes to match the success of the Switch when its levelled-up new console hits shelves Thursday, with strong early sales expected despite the gadget's high price By Katie Forster With shops planning midnight launch parties after a run on pre-orders, Nintendo releases the Switch 2 on Thursday, hoping to score record early sales for a games console. But the Japanese company has its work cut out to match the overall success of the Switch, which became a must-have during the pandemic with hit games such as "Animal Crossing". Featuring a bigger screen and more processing power, the Switch 2 is an upgrade to its predecessor, which has sold 152 million units since it came out in 2017 -- making it the third best-selling console of all time. Serkan Toto from Tokyo consultancy Kantan Games said he "would not be surprised to see Switch 2 breaking sales records in the next weeks and months". In Japan, Nintendo's online store had 2.2 million pre-order applications for the Switch 2 -- an "insane number the industry has never seen before", Toto told AFP. "We are looking at some sort of mega launch, and it will be interesting to see for how long this initial momentum will continue," he added. Challenges for Nintendo include uncertainty over U.S. trade tariffs and whether it can convince enough people to pay the high price for its new device. The Switch 2 costs $449.99 in the United States, more than Switch's launch price of $299.99. Both are hybrid consoles which can connect to a TV or be played on the go. New Switch 2 games such as "Donkey Kong Bananza" and "Mario Kart World" -- which allows players to go exploring off-grid -- are also more expensive than existing Switch titles. Pre-order cancellations Retailers in the United States, Europe and other major markets are also gearing up for a rush of excited fans, with some stores opening at midnight to welcome them. "For us, this will be a record in terms of first-day sales for a games console," said Charlotte Massicault, director of multimedia and gaming at France's Fnac Darty. Supply pressures have even forced retailers to cancel orders, with Britain's Game saying it is "working hard to reinstate as many affected pre-orders as possible". "It seems that retailers in the US were especially confident in their ability to ship pre-orders and now need to deal with some serious backlash from customers," Toto said. He expects "it will be hard to get a Switch 2 not only at launch but for weeks and months after, possibly through the entire year," as was the case for months with the Switch. Nintendo forecasts it will shift 15 million Switch 2 consoles in the current financial year, roughly equal to the original in the same period after its release. The Switch 2 "is priced relatively high" compared to its predecessor, so it "will not be easy" to keep initial momentum going, the company's president Shuntaro Furukawa said at a financial results briefing in May. 'Super excited' The Switch 2 has eight times the memory of the first Switch, and its controllers, which attach with magnets, can also be used like a desktop computer mouse. New functions allowing users to chat as they play online and temporarily share games with friends could also be a big draw for young audiences used to watching game streamers. "People were a bit shocked by the price of 'Mario Kart World', the first $80 game that we've ever seen," said Krysta Yang of the Nintendo-focused Kit & Krysta Podcast. But while the company is "going to have to do some work" to convince more casual gamers that it's worth upgrading, Nintendo fans are "super excited", she told AFP. In the United States, Nintendo delayed pre-orders for the Switch 2 by two weeks as it assessed the impact from President Donald Trump's aggressive duties on trading partners around the world. Furukawa said in May that "hardware for North America is mainly produced in Vietnam" where Trump is threatening a hefty so-called "reciprocal" levy of 46 percent. But tariff uncertainty could in fact push consumers to buy a Switch 2 sooner, because they are worried that the price could go up, according to Yang. And the stakes are high for Nintendo. While the "Super Mario" maker is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, around 90 percent of its revenue still comes from the Switch business, analysts say. © 2025 AFP
Nikkei Asia
3 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Japan used car exporter picks Philippines for next Southeast Asia move
TSU, Japan -- A Japanese company that deals in used cars will launch an auto auction business in the Philippines, hoping to capitalize on the country's young population and growing economy. Apple International plans to work with a major Philippine financial group to launch a joint venture in Manila, with a goal of starting operations by next year.
