Honda, Nissan strengthen partnership to jointly research EV technology for next-generation SDV platform
Honda and Nissan will jointly research fundamental technologies in the area of next-generation software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms. The announcement comes on the same day that the two companies entered into a strategic partnership with Mitsubishi and build on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in March this year.
SDVs are a type of vehicle that focuses on software rather than hardware, which Honda and Nissan believe is crucial to accelerating the spread and evolution of electric vehicles (EVs). Basic research in this area is expected to be completed in about a year, with the results used to consider the possibility of developing mass production.
The scope of research as part of the broader strategic partnership will cover the areas of intelligence and electrification, the latter including core aspects of EVs such as batteries and e-axles. On the battery front, the two companies will combine their technologies so they can offer a wide range of applications, from high-power models to low-cost models.
Cost reduction efforts will also be another area of focus through investment diversification, risk hedging and volume production. Both parties have also agreed to popularize the specifications of their battery modules for wider adoption in the medium to long term.
Honda and Nissan will also study the supply of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles produced by LH Battery Company, a joint venture between Honda and LG Energy Solution, to Nissan in North America after 2028. Likewise, the specifications of each company’s electric axles will also be standardized, with the first step being the sharing of motors and inverters.
In the short term, Nissan and Honda have reached a basic agreement on the models and regions that each company will add, and have also agreed on the outline of a product evaluation system that both companies will operate together. This is part of the joint vehicle addition agreement, which will include both ICE and electric vehicles.
Finally, both companies will also research energy services and resource circulation in Japan, including charging, energy equipment, battery-powered energy services, and charging services.
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