Nissan Expands Research Ties In China To Regain EV Market Share

Nissan Motor Co. is expanding its research ties with a leading Chinese university as it, along with other foreign car companies, tries to regain market share in the crucial Chinese market, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The major auto companies were caught flat-footed by a boom in electric vehicles in China that has given rise to new Chinese competitors. I Photo: David Hoffman Flickr

The Japanese automaker announced on Sunday that it would launch joint research next year with Tsinghua University on reaching Generation Z—defined for this project as those born between 1995 and 2009—and on the social responsibility of automakers in battery recycling, charging stations, and other electric vehicle-related issues.

The major auto companies were caught flat-footed by a boom in electric vehicles in China that has given rise to new Chinese competitors, gobbling up market share at home and now moving into Southeast Asia, Europe, and other overseas markets.

Nissan’s sales in China plunged 34% in the six months from April to September compared with a year earlier.

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